From '
thisiscornwall.co.uk':
Overjoyed social club members have "beaten off the big boys" by defeating national companies to stay in their 70-year-old clubhouse.
Truro Railway Club and its 500 members have battled developer Wainhomes and Network Rail for four years to save their home in Station Yard.
But at the 11th hour, a 10-year lease was agreed during final negotiations, when a scheduled three-day case was due to start at Truro County Court.
Club chairman Dennis Healy said: "We fought long and hard to get here and we're over the moon. We, as a small social club, took on the big boys ^ multi-million pound companies ^ and beat them. It's amazing. Thanks to all the members who have stayed loyal to the club and helped to get us here."
Network Rail had agreed to sell the site to Wainhomes, which obtained planning permission on appeal in 2008 to demolish the club and build 14 homes, but pulled out when the recession hit.
Solicitor Richard Bagwell, partner at Foot Anstey, delivered the good news on Tuesday morning. He told happy club members: "The argument we've been having with Network Rail for the last 15 months is how long the club should be able to remain on the site. Ultimately for the time being we are here on improved terms because the rent has gone down and we can start planning the use of the club for the future again. The club is an important facility for people from all sections of the community and has been the venue for scores of charitable events benefiting a number of important concerns here in Cornwall."
From July the club will have a 10-year lease at a reduced rent and Network Rail must give the club 12 months' notice if it wants to terminate the lease.
The landlord was fighting to only give the club a one-year lease. Planning permission to build homes on the site runs out in January 2011.
A spokesman for Network Rail described the situation as "win-win for both parties", but added that there were aspirations to improve Station Yard, as part of a park and ride scheme.
