A new park and ride system for passengers travelling to the Isles of Scilly on the Scillonian could be set to go on land near Lelant.

The planning application has been submitted by a Mr Paul Richards and a Mr John Richards, who own Splattenridden Farm near Lelant Downs.

The land owners propose to temporary use some of their agricultural land as relief parking for the Scilly Isles during the holiday seasons, which would have 450 car parking spaces.

Farm land suggested is located within the existing farm complex at Splattenridden, which is near Lelant Downs. The application site is proposed to be accessed from Mill Hill which is a C road between Carntiscoe Road and Lelant. The site is located approximately 1km west of the main A30/A3074 St Erth roundabout.

The applicants have proposed two fields within their wider farm holding to be a seasonal Park and Ride facility for customers wishing to travel to the Isles of Scilly.

The planning application was submitted after the applicants saw an article in The Cornishman Newspaper in October 2015, which highlighted the forthcoming loss of almost 500 Penzance town car parking spaces at the old Jewson's site in Wherrytown, Coinagehall Street and the former Trelawney Garage at the bottom of Morrab Road, which was used for customers travelling to the Isles of Scilly, due to re-development.

In the article alternative schemes were highlighted, such as a park and ride from Sainsbury's site, but the applicants were concerned this would not benefit the long term parking needed for visitors to the Isles of Scilly.

In the planning application it is highlighted that the applicants "have identified a demand for this type of facility as currently there is no dedicated parking provision for passengers using the ferry, who currently have to either park in a public car park in Penzance or use on-street parking methods."

The proposed facility at Splattenridden would be privately run as a commercial enterprise with a shuttle bus service to transport passengers to and from the ferry terminal.

The land proposed for the park and ride would revert back to land for the grazing of sheep in November until March when the Scillonian does not sail.

The planning application is due to go to Cornwall Council's Strategic Planning Committee next Thursday.