Unsightly Cornish Sea Defences Must Be Removed By Developers

Temporary sea defences taking the form of a stretch of metal pilings and rocks, must be removed. So say a Cornwall Central Sub Area Planning Committee, talking about the defences at Carlyon Bay in Cornwall. They were erected about nine years ago to protect a building site that was due to become a quality development of 511 apartments with shops and leisure services.

But the temporary permission for the erection of the fences has now expired. The Commercial Estates Group (CEG) wanted to keep the 80m (262ft) defences at Carlyon Bay in Cornwall until 2016. The reason was that CEG said it was struggling to finance the development and needed to keep the defences. The committee refused amid claims the defences were an "eyesore".

Unsightly sea defences at Carlyon Bay

For those who know the area, Carlyon Bay, near St Austell, was once the site of the Cornwall Coliseum entertainment venue. But it appears that plans for the £250 million development have been proceeding slowly due to the recession.

"The recession has impacted heavily on businesses nationwide," a spokesman for CEG said. "Development projects around the country including other major Cornish projects have been similarly adversely affected and we are asking for a little flexibility during this difficult period until
the economy picks up and development finance becomes more accessible."

CEG said it was "disappointed" after it requested a report on an enforcement timetable to remove the defences. CEG said it was considering "all options before making any decisions about the timing of its removal".

Peter Browning of Carlyon Bay Watch (CBW) said: "CBW is delighted that councillors have acknowledged the views of hundreds of local people and visitors alike that 'enough is enough'. If CEG can't begin their development then they should remove the eyesore they've created on the foreshore and let people enjoy the beach again."

                                               What CEG are hoping to do at Carlyon Bay