Local residents and pressure groups to protest
12 noon 28th February 2004
from the parade of shops, Beach Road, Carlyon Bay, St Austell
Since 12th January 2004 access to a popular 1¼ mile stretch of Cornish coastline at Carlyon Bay, which has been used as of right for leisure purposes by the community for over 20 years, has been blocked to vehicular and pedestrian access.
Local feeling against the proposed development of 511 holiday apartments, retail outlets and hotel, which is the reason for the closure, has been growing since the plans were announced last year. This tide of opposition has now culminated in a planned demonstration which will proceed along Beach road from the parade of local shops to the site on Februrary 28th 2004.
CarlyonBayWatch spokeperson, Peter Browning states, "Since our campaign began last year in response to the announcement of the Ampersand plans, during the gathering of signatures for the petition to John Prescott and whilst compiling evidence to support an application to register the beaches as a Village Green, we have been canvassing community opinion regularly. Over the course of a year, we have witnessed a growing resentment about exactly what we stand to lose if this project goes ahead."
Members of the community action group CarlyonBayWatch will be there, along with others from concerned pressure groups, environmental and civic organisations who share a common view that this development is out of scale for the area and a potential environmental disaster in the making. Opponents of the scheme are hoping for a large and peaceful crowd to show how strongly opinion has grown against the closure of this important community destination.
Mr Browning adds, ‘This is a long-term build of up to 4 years. Despite reassurances that this specific closure is temporary, these latest events, the blocking of pedestrian and vehicular access on health and safety grounds, people being turned away at Fishing Point, have just brought home to us how much building something of this scale will inevitably affect the pleasures and rights our coastal community has taken for granted for generations. Although some temporary diversion of the coastal path has been permitted, at the time of writing, no Order whatsoever has been issued which permits closure of the road leading to the Beach itself."
We trust many will come and lend their support on February 28th as just by being there, locals will have an opportunity to register their concern. Many are beginning to realise that events at Carlyon Bay are taking place against a backdrop of other coastal development controversies at Falmouth, Porthmeor, Newquay and Bude. Add to that the fact that a significant number of beautiful Cornish beaches are also privately owned and you have concern for the future of our county on a larger scale.
For further information, please have a look at www.carlyonbaywatch.co.uk
Editors Notes;
CarlyonBayWatch was formed as an umbrella group covering various residents associations in the area, in response to concerns about the holiday development to be built across Crinnis, Polgaver and Shorthorn beaches. A selection of members have been meeting regularly with representatives of the development company, Ampersand, since Spring 2003.
Supporting Groups English Nature, Friends of the Earth, The Cornwall Wildlife Trust, The Campaign for the Preservation of the Rural Environment, The Environment Agency, Cornwall County Council, Charlestown School have either raised objections, or called for further information relating to the impact of the project. At the demonstration on 28th February CBW expect to be joined by members of The Campaign for the Preservation of Rural England, The Celtic League, The St Austell Civic Society and The Ramblers Association, among others. Petition In July 2003, CarlyonBayWatch delivered a petition of 929 signatures to the Government Office of the South West at Plymouth, calling for the matter to be referred to a full Public Enquiry. We are still waiting for the decision on this. Village Green Application On 04/07/03 a member of CarlyonBayWatch provided evidence and made application to register the land being known as Carlyon Bay, including Crinnis, Shorthorn and Polgaver Beaches as a Village Green under the Commons Registration Act. This area of land consists of heath land at the base of the cliffs and beaches. | |
Evidence The main body of evidence for the application includes over 300 witness evidence statements attesting to over 20 years constant usage of the beach for purposes legal Sports and Pastimes in support of an Application for the registration of land which became a Town or Village Green after 2nd of January 1970. The evidence also includes numerous old Tithe and Mining Maps, correspondence, photographs and extracts from text and local information booklets. This application has been registered as duly made and has entered the consultation process. | |
Web site CBW web site was launched in September 2003 and has had a tremendous 29,000 hits to date. Following reports in the National press we continue to receive emails from across the country from ex-residents and holiday visitors alike, supporting our campaign. | |
Wildlife Cornwall Wildlife Trust has identified Shorthorn Beach, the middle beach of the 3 beaches which make up Carlyon Bay Beach, as a site of national importance. It is one of only 2 places in Cornwall which are home to a pretty and unusual, nationally notable Moth, the Cream-bordered Green Pea Moth. These are just some of the uncommon coast-plants that still survive along the beach; Common Fleabane, Evening Primrose, Frosted orache, Mossy stonecrop, Samphire, Scentless Mayweed, Sea Plantain, Sea Rocket, Sea Sandwort, Seaside centaury, Shrubby sea-blite.
Permissions At the time of writing, and without prejudice, we are trying to establish the precise nature of any permissions and authorisations which are in place for this current closure of the beach. Whilst a section of the road leading down to the beach may or may not enjoy private status, it is no more private than Cypress Avenue or Sea Road, all of which pedestrians have used for over a 100 years.