The Cornish Guardian 31th July 2003

Polite Call for Public Inquiry into Bay Scheme

As one of the concerned local residents gathering signatures for a Petition to call-in the Carlyon Bay Planning decision I felt compelled to write in to counter T.Anders letter in the Guardian last week.

It was clearly an attempt to take attention away from the overwhelming support which we have had from the majority of Carlyon Bay residents by planting the idea in readers minds that dubious tactics have been used to obtain signatures.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Those who took part in compiling the Petition were all local residents, members of Residents Associations covering the Carlyon Bay area, many of whom have been regularly attending Focus Group Meetings with Ampersand in an attempt to ensure that they are well informed about what is happening at the development.

Each person gathering signatures was given a factsheet to work from and we were all careful not to offer opinions on the issues at stake. We set out not to try to persuade anyone from a differing viewpoint (although I have to say there were not many) but simply to give locals an opportunity to register their concern. Far from being 'split' in their views - and the numbers speak for themselves - over 900 signatures - Carlyon Bay residents signed overwhelmingly to register that concern.

Without exception, all the conversations I had on the issue were cordial and polite. Most people in my area signed with little hesitation and thanked us for the good job we were all doing.

The question to be asked is not, "Who are the petitioners?". The writer of last weeks letter knows very well who we are. We may not be high-profile - we are just ordinary residents and we do not have the resources of a professional PR company or an impressive marketing machine at our disposal - but we have been identifying ourselves all along. Surely the more significant question to be asked here is 'Who are Ampersand?'

The development at Crinnis Beach is going to have a fundamental, far reaching and long term impact on the whole area and, so far, little is known about the track record of those set to take it forward.

This is precisely why the matter deserves the scrutiny of a full public enquiry and why concerned local residents have been politely petitioning for one.

S.Barrett
Carlyon Bay