Noah Law to update St Austell on town centre pledge

Noah Law made a promise on the campaign trail in 2024. This Saturday (12 September), the St Austell and Newquay MP is standing in the middle of the town centre to show what has actually been done about it.

A drop-in with the people doing the work

The event runs in St Austell town centre and is open to residents who want to hear directly from Noah and from the local stakeholders, business owners and community leaders working alongside him. Rather than a set-piece speech, it is designed as a drop-in, giving people the chance to ask questions about the projects shaping the town’s future.

It comes as Noah provides an update on one of his three key pledges from the 2024 General Election, revitalising the town.

Funding, national policy and the fight against anti-social behaviour

Noah will set out where things stand on funding secured for projects in the town, and on the national policy work and levers he has been applying locally. That includes the engagement he has led with multiple local statutory and voluntary bodies to tackle specific drug and alcohol related issues and anti-social behaviour affecting the town centre.

He is also expected to give an update on his ongoing Community Conversations, which bring together police, local groups and residents for open discussions about the challenges facing their communities. Events have taken place or are planned in St Dennis, St Austell, Sticker, Par and Bugle.

The Earth Goddess statue, and a building Noah calls a “white elephant”

Among the updates will be plans to resolve the long-running row over the Earth Goddess statue. Noah has drawn a direct comparison with his handling of the General Wolfe building, a Cornwall Council-owned property he has previously described as a “white elephant,” saying he intends to settle the statue’s future the same way.

Shopworkers and the Freedom From Fear campaign

Representatives from USDAW will attend to talk about the union’s Freedom From Fear campaign, which seeks to prevent violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers. A study released by the union in March 2026 found that 80 per cent of shopworkers had been verbally abused in the past year, more than half had been threatened while on shift, and a third of women under 27 reported sexual harassment at work.

Community Right to Buy and a stake in St Austell’s own housing scheme

The Co-operative Party will also be there, discussing Community Right to Buy and its new £61 million fund set up to support communities trying to purchase valued local assets and invest in their high streets.

It is an issue Noah knows from the inside. He set up the St Austell Community Land Trust, a community-owned housing co-operative created to deliver what it calls “truly affordable” homes for local people while helping to revitalise the town centre. The trust plans to redevelop unused properties into homes suited to working people and small families, and attendees at Saturday’s event will get the chance to hear more about it and get involved if they wish.

A constituency office in the town centre

Constituents will also hear about Noah’s new constituency office, now located in St Austell town centre, which he has described as putting his money where his mouth is by investing in the town’s future.

Noah Law, Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay, said: “In 2024 I was elected with a clear pledge to revitalise our high streets and towns. That’s no small task, but this event on Saturday will showcase the progress that has been made, working with the police, community organisations, local stakeholders, small businesses, and others to improve our town centre.

“From work with local groups to tackle anti-social behaviour, progress made on finally resolving the Earth Goddess furore, and the launch of a co-operative housing project, the event will be an opportunity for residents to see presentations hear from local people working to create a better St Austell.”

📷Credit: Noah Law