By katri iivonen-gray

A FEEDBACK box from the Hayle Harbour regeneration consultation was rushed to the local police station for safekeeping to ensure impartiality, harbour owners ING said.

The Dutch real estate giant held a three-day public exhibition at the White Hart Hotel last week where they presented their revised vision for land at South Quay.

Over Thursday, Friday and Saturday around 500 residents came to inspect the company's new mixed-use development scheme which they say could turn the dilapidated site into an "upbeat social destination".

The company gained an outline planning consent for nearly 300 homes last year but since then, mainly due to escalating costs, the South Quay phase of the £220 million project has been brought forward with revised plans.

The number of homes has been reduced to fewer than 100 and they are also proposing to build a supermarket, cinema, restaurant and café on the site.

ING spokesman Gary Cartmell said the verbal feedback from residents was "overwhelmingly" in favour of the plans put on the table.

"People made many helpful comments about the cinema, restaurant and a café and how the harbour could be regenerated – all of which we will be using," he said.

"I think the turnout was exceptional given the amount of consultation and it reiterates how people want to see change."

The feedback forms from the consultation were sealed and taken to Hayle Police Station where they will be collected by a representative from Cornwall Council.

This, ING says, ensures total impartiality.

Mr Cartmell added: "The last person who attended the exhibition sealed the box and that was taken to the police station.

"We do not know what people said and whether they are in favour, not in favour or not decided.

"We want an independent person to open it to make the process totally independent."

The results of the exhibition are expected to be announced in the next two weeks.

ING says work on the site could start as early as autumn 2011.