Second homeowners' new holiday home approved despite fears of a major cliff collapse
Locals said they were concerned cliffs near their Cornish village would collapse if the new property was built.
Second homeowners looking to re-build their holiday home near a pretty Cornish seaside village faced the prospect of their plans being shelved after locals raised concerns it could cause a nearby cliff to collapse.
Earlier this week, a Cornwall Council planning meeting heard that there were fears the development of the property could put the entire community of Portwrinkle near Torpoint at risk.
The application to replace the cabin was made by Alice Henry and her husband to replace the cabin known as Donkeys Halt and rebuild it as a two-bedroom chalet they would let out. However, concerns have been raised by the local community about whether the property could cause the nearby cliff to collapse.
As a result, the couple’s dreams of a new chalet by the sea hang in the balance whilst Cornwall Council deliberates on the matter. Furthermore, there are concerns not just about the cliffs but also about whether the new property would detract from the importance of centuries-old coastguard cottages nearby.
CornwallLive reported that this isn’t the first time the proposed property has faced difficulties with an earlier application withdrawn on the basis of issues around cliff stability. The garden was found to be in a coastal vulnerability zone (CVZ) and next to a site of scientific interest.
Speaking on behalf of neighbouring residents at a meeting in Bodmin, resident Rosemary Kent laid out the issues with the proposal that was being objected to “due to overdevelopment” and could see a “substantial increase in ground loading at a fragile location”.
She added: “Any further collapse will leave a neighbouring property landlocked and have a disastrous effect on Donkey Lane, the main access route to all properties.
“The council erected a fence a metre south of Donkeys Halt after an earlier landslip and had to relocate the South West Coast Path. By acknowledging the cliff's frailty, it would seem negligent to allow this development so close to the cliff edge.”
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Local member Councillor Kate Ewert added: “The cliff in Portwrinkle is really precarious and we're seeing more and more cliff slips along that small stretch than anywhere else in my division ... and I have a lot in my division.
"Just to the west of the site, there was a significant collapse a few years ago leaving the landscape looking like a huge bite has been taken out of it. To the east, the cliff has recently collapsed meaning that a large section of the car park is now cordoned off.
“My fear is that with substantial work involved with this build, the cliff stability will be further eroded. We should not be approving a project of this size in such a vulnerable area.”
In response to the complaints Mrs Henry said her family had been using the cabin since the 1950s and that they wanted to “remain part of the community”. She added that they had had “numerous offers from developers” but that she and her husband wanted to retire to their cabin.
Following discussion, and despite criticism, the committee decided to approve the development.
