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Latest news
The page that keeps you up to date with the latest developments concerning the Carlyon Bay controversy. 28th JULY 2011: PUBLIC INQUIRY RULED OUT BY SECRETARY OF STATE There will be no public inquiry into the latest planning application for the beaches at Carlyon Bay, says the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles. The plans had been referred to him because they are contrary to the local development plan and existing adopted policies, as admitted by Cornwall Council planning officers. But this seems to have been ignored by the Secretary of State who apparently said there was no conflict with national policies and the government was committed to giving more power to local councils to determine local planning applications. But the wishes of hundreds of those most affected by this massive proposal have been completely ignored by this decision. A petition with 400 signatures called for a smaller development, a substantial majority of people in a survey by local councillor John Oxenham wanted a smaller scheme, so did those in a survey by another local Councillor, Steve Double. Carlyon Parish Council, representing 800 households in Carlyon Bay and Tregehen, unanimously opposed the scheme because it was too big. CARLYON BAY WATCH COMMENT
""Today, we mourn the passing of “Localism”, still-born into the lap of Minister Pickles, who obviously doesn’t carry very well, because we’re still mourning the recent death of St.Dennis, fatally infected by a deadly Incineration. Just how local was “Localism” ? In both of these cases, Localism was to have been the pride and joy of the local Parishes, and you cannot get much more local than that. However, like so much of politics today, electoral promises quickly evaporate once the vote is in the ballot-box, and money will often crush the democratic process to death. At Carlyon Bay, we have fought continually since 2004 for an environmentally-sensitive development restricted to the existing brownfield site of the old Coliseum. However, when nearly £6 million pounds was proffered by the developer to the ‘midwife’, Cornwall Council conveniently chose to set aside almost all of its Planning principles to get its hands on the money. Put another way, this appears to show that if you’ve got enough money, you can buy virtually any Planning Consent you want. Despite ultimate defeat, our Carlyonbaywatch campaign did succeed in compelling first Restormel Borough and then Cornwall Council to ensure that our long Enforcement Order battle succeeded, so that the completely unauthorised sea defences were 90% removed, and the beaches of Carlyon Bay were restored to something of their earlier state. Here again, the facts demonstrate that, if you are big enough, you can remain outside the effects of planning enforcement legislation unless local people are able literally to drive the authorities into action. Sadly however (thanks again, Mr. Pickles) the sea wall will probably soon be back. Soon after that, we shall discover the actual intention of this developer about what is to be built behind it. We shall doubtless learn that ‘hybrid’ is as ‘hybrid’ does, when what we have already described as a blank cheque will be presented into the hands of Cornwall’s Planning elite. Costa del Carlyon will provide a beacon for developers all over the UK and beyond, for they now have ministerial proof that the beautiful face of Cornwall is no longer immune to their concrete carbuncles, and that National and regional planning policies designed to protect our natural environment are no longer effective against their depredations. To all of our supporters, we must say a very big “thanks ever”, we are indeed sorry that common sense and reason would not prevail, despite our unsparing efforts over so many long years. We are left with the unlikely hope that our worst predictions about the consequences of this momentous decision may yet be avoided."
Meanwhile, the ugly and unauthorised line of shuttering which has blighted the beaches since 2004 has mostly been removed three-and-a-half years after an enforcement notice was served by Restormel Borough Council. All, that is, except for a section around the information office which CEG now say they want to keep in place for, it seems, an undefined period of time. They have applied for retrospective planning permission - but why should they be allowed it when the Enforcement Notice called for the removal of the shuttering in its entirety, not just part of it as the developer deems convenient. The shuttering was constructed by the developer, without planning permission, as part of the sea defence scheme rejected after the 2006 Public Inquiry. Enforcement action was taken with a deadline of December 2010 which was then extended to February 2011. Now, June, the main body of shuttering has gone but as the developer chose to completely ignore planning regulations there is no reason to allow permission to retain part of what is an unauthorised structure. There is an easy alternative to move the temporary information centre elsewhere on this site.
The area around the Sandy River was mostly cleared last year, allowing easier access to Shorthorn and Polgaver beaches. Now work has started on the Crinnis section, although the pilings will be left in front of the information centre for the time being. Special machinery is grabbing the pilings one at a time and pulling them out of the ground. After only a day's work the shoreline can once again be seen through a hole in the shuttering. The order to remove the wall was given in 2007 with a deadline of December 2010.
But the developers have delayed and delayed and then used the excuse of a new planning application to keep it beyond the deadline. But, it seems, after pressure from CBW, local residents and councillors, behind-the-scenes negotiations by Cornwall Council officers have led to a start being made before a decision has been taken on the planning application. The developers say they hope the work will be finished in time for the summer holiday season. Wire mesh will be used to fence off the parts of the beaches made dangerous by the demolition operation. The line of shuttering was built into the tidal zone, which has meant that, since 2004, people have not been able to walk from one end of the beaches to the other at high tide (and at times of spring tides a couple of hours either side of high tide). Meanwhile, CBW has submitted a 250 page document to Cornwall Council planners detailing our objections to this massive development. The document can be viewed by going to the CBW Submission page. A joint meeting of Carlyon and St Austell Bay parish councils heard a presentation on the Beach development by CEG. Councillors asked questions about the development and members of the public had a chance to do the same. Councillors from St Austell Bay expressed their serious concerns about traffic along Beach Road, Church Road and Charlestown Road with its impact on Charlestown Primary and Penrice Schools as well as St Paul's Church. One described the several years of disturbance and inconvenience because of new developments at Duporth and the old foundry site. There was a lot of scepticism from members of the public about whether the CEG travel plan would deliver the sort of traffic patterns the developer is predicting. The serious congestion on the A390 along the Holmbush corridor was raised as was the problem faced by Tregehan residents trying to enter the A390. Another councillor raised the question of the design of the development saying he couldn't see what was Cornish about it and also whether the developers had considered reducing the size of the scheme. (More details about the application and how you can make your views known to the County planners). 22nd MARCH 2011: CARLYON BAY WATCH NEWSLETTER In response to the submission of a new planning application CBW has distributed the following newsletter to all the residents of Carlyon Bay and to some of the surrounding areas. SAY "NO" TO A NEW TOWN HERE Five hundred new homes, more than 1,000 people, sheltering behind a concrete wall on our beaches. This is what developers want to do to Carlyon Bay. New plans are now with Cornwall Council's planners for consideration. Carlyon Bay Watch believes the development is still too big - a view shared by most local residents and by many local County and Parish Councillors. We have consistently sought to restrict any development to the only previously developed part of the beaches - the "footprint" of the old Cornwall Coliseum and related buildings on part of Crinnis. This scheme wants to concrete over not only Crinnis and Shorthorn beaches but even has designs on Polgaver, which more than 80% of residents say they want left to nature. But the developer refuses to reduce the size of the development. We are still faced with more than 500 new dwellings on our local beaches - doubling the population of Carlyon Bay at a stroke and putting an intolerable burden on our essential services. We do not need a new town on a beach. We do not need the increased pressure on our roads, schools and health service just to satisfy a developer's need to make a profit. We believe the idea of building holiday homes, let alone residential units, on any beach is madness in the light of climate change and steadily rising sea levels - in fact such developments fly in the face of current national policies. This is a "hybrid" application which only seeks outline planning permission for the area behind the sea defences. It provides no detail as to how it will squeeze 511 homes onto the beaches - if the developers are given outline planning consent it would effectively give them a "blank cheque". Any designs seen so far in the so-called consultation exercise might bear no relation to the final plans and with Polgaver included in any outline permission it's likely that the last remaining natural area on Carlyon Bay will be lost. The impact a development of this size will have on everyone in the area and others who enjoy our beaches cannot be emphasised enough. This is a coastal zone which should be protected as one of Cornwall's greatest assets and the proposal would remove a significant part of Carlyon Bay's natural open spaces. It is disingenuous of the developer to assure us that access will be maintained whilst as the same time severely restricting the number of public car parking spaces. This deliberate policy will be, by design, the most effective way of restricting public access to the beaches. A mass of buildings up to the height of the cliffs would remove much of the beaches as we know them and obliterate views of the shoreline and coastline, which is flanked by Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It amounts to the destruction of that natural beauty which millions of people come to Cornwall to enjoy. Once one developer is allowed to build on a Cornish beach others are bound to follow. Make sure your voice is heard and your views are considered by the decision-makers of Cornwall Council. This is your only chance to be heard and time is limited. The plans are available at the Council offices in Penwinnick Road, St Austell or on the Council's website: http://planning.cornwall.gov.uk/online-applications. Once there enter the Planning Number PA11/01331. You can email your comments to planning.central2@cornwall.gov.uk Or write - quoting the Planning Number - to: Paul Banks, Planning and Regeneration Service, Cornwall Council, 39 Penwinnick Road, St Austell, Cornwall, PL25 5DR. Remember, time is short, but do send in your views on this major plan not only to the Council Planners but also to your elected County and Parish councillors. If you live in Carlyon Parish they are: Cllr John Oxenham (Cornwall Council): joxenham@cornwall.gov.uk Cllr John Hermes, chairman, Carlyon Parish Council: j.hermes@tiscali.co.uk If you live in Par and St Blazey you can contact: Cllr Roy Taylor (Cornwall Council): roytaylor@cornwall.gov.uk Cllr June Anderson, chair St Blaise Parish Council: info@stblaisetowncouncil.co.uk
MARCH 2011: NEW PLANNING APPLICATION SUBMITTED The developers behind the proposed Beach complex have finally submitted their new planning application to Cornwall Council. It's a "hybrid" application, that is plans for the sea defences are set out in detail but the area behind the defences are an outline application. The developers keep saying they won't consider anything less than the complex of 511 homes and leisure facilities they already have a 21-year-old permission for, but exactly how they will be distributed and in what style we don't know. If the developers are given outline planning consent it would effectively give them a "blank cheque". Any designs seen so far in the so-called consultation exercise might bear no relation to the final plans. Also, Polgaver is included in the outline permission and so it's likely the last remaining natural area on Carlyon Bay will be lost - against the clearly expressed wishes of more than 80% of local residents. (More details about the application and how you can make your views known to the County planners). 28th JANUARY 2011: LOOSE PIPES SPARK COASTGUARD ALERT
A section of pipeline has been washed off the beach at Carlyon Bay and out to sea, sparking an alert to shipping by the coastguard. The pipeline is thought to drain water from behind the steel shuttering into the Sandy River. Local walkers and fishermen noticed sections were coming loose earlier this week and on Thursday a section was washed out and blown westwards towards Charlestown by a strong easterly breeze. Rather belatedly security guards on the beach were told to try to recover the pipes still onshore, but why wasn't something done before one section floated off to pose a danger to shipping? The pipeline is buried under the steel shuttering which was erected without permission and is still there despite an enforcement notice which ordered its removal by 8th December 2010. 13th JANUARY 2011: RESIDENTIAL BOMBSHELL
5th JANUARY 2011: CAR PARK PLANS SUBMITTED 3rd NOVEMBER 2010: 'HANDS OFF POLGAVER' SAY RESIDENTS
What do you think? Post your comments here or email us and we'll include your views on our email page.
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