The planning permission for the 511 homes was granted in the late 1980s and the Ampersand Group bought the site, which stretches from the top of the cliffs high watermark, last year.
Ampersand claim the project will be “ecologically imaginative” and have a “flowing design”, it is also said to “blend in”.
Cornwall wildlife trust wants an environmental impact assessment to be carried out
as the site has rare plants - heath milkwort, bell heather and eye bright yet Anderson argues it bought the planning permission before this was necessary.
Although Ampersand claim the project would be beneficial to the area, creating 600 jobs, the area is already high in employment and the planned development could discourage some people from visiting as it would ruin the serenity of the area.
One local resident was reported to say "these types of development have more in common with third world countries where there are secure enclaves for the rich, with little or no benefit for the local population- there will come a time when we will only be able to walk along the coastal footpath and look down on the beach from afar".
Carlyon Bay is also a 1995 Seaside Award Winner, winning points for its cleanliness on land and sea, and for its excellent facilities, coupled together with safe bathing, water sports, and trouble-free leisure, it is already a popular and amply developed site in many eyes.
Clive Kessel vice chairman of the Restormel regeneration partnership said the development could bring money into an area that has suffered economic hardship. He denied that the development would harm the environment and dismissed concerns about access, he conceded that it would have an impact on local infrastructures but said work would be done to improve local roads and people would be encouraged to use public transport to get there.
Other developments of tourism in the UK have been successful. In Bournemouth for example, where the tourism development have been very successful.
Bournemouth’s economy has been built upon tourism and with nearly two million staying visitors and over four and a half million day visitors every year, Bournemouth is a top international resort and the tourist industry is vital to the towns economy.
In 1995 tourism generated £479 million of expenditure directly and also indirectly therefore supporting 16400 jobs. Direct tourism spent in Bournemouth accounts for 11% of that for the entire southern region. Tourism has also had a multiplier effect in Bournemouth bringing in retail, leisure and entertainment industries.
Although this type of industry is appealing to Carlyon Bay, it is unrealistic. Carlyon Bay is not the same size as Bournemouth and does not have the same accessibility. It also has a very seasonal tourist industry.
Although many people in Cornwall are against the development, Malcolm Bell, Executive chair of the local tourist board, southwest tourism, said it would create jobs and hopefully bring in tourists all year although he didn’t want to see similar developments springing up on other Cornish beaches. The council are pushing for the development to go through as they have already sold 150 of the houses planned to be built, it is financially and in the long term economically a positive thing for the council.
In conclusion, Carlyon Bay has been successful and popular up to this day, if the area has managed to sustain itself until now, we must ask whether this development is really necessary. The stretch of coastline planned to be developed is extremely beautiful and a popular site with walkers, holidaymakers, families and local residents. The development of this area may discourage these people from returning.
I feel the development would not be a good idea as environmentalists and residents agree, the area has a fragile ecosystem and attracts many tourists anyway, the development would attract different people and the site could easily become “trashy and unpopular”. On the other hand the development of Carlyon Bay would bring in more jobs and the multiplier effect would bring a better economy and trade for smaller businesses, yet they have managed so far and the development would have other consequences too.
Roads, amenities and other services would become very busy, good for the businesses yet this would lead to worse quality of service for the local residents as more cafes and other amenities place their emphasis on the tourists.
Carlyon Bay won the 1995 Seaside Award and so is obviously already a gorgeous area, would the development of houses, entertainment facilities and restaurants really improve it? I think not.
