Officials to investigate works at Cornish hotel which will host the G7 summit
Cornwall Council’s planning enforcement team have been called in at Carbis Bay
Cornwall Council’s planning enforcement team has been asked to investigate works which are being undertaken at a hotel which will host the G7 summit.
The enforcement team was called in after concerns were raised about trees being removed and building works at the Carbis Bay Hotel.
Residents and campaigners claimed that “ancient trees” had been removed, something which the resort has denied.
Today it was revealed that the case has been raised with the council’s planning enforcement team.
Tim Dwelly, Cabinet member for economy and planning, said today: “Enforcement officers are investigating a possible breach. An officer from enforcement has been put on the case to investigate.”
Cllr Dwelly said that he understood that the Carbis Bay Hotel was in the process of submitting a planning application for the work but did not have planning permission for it.
Fellow Cabinet member and Cornwall Councillor for St Ives West, also highlighted that enforcement action was being taken.
On his Facebook page Cllr Mitchell said: “There is now an enforcement case raised with Cornwall planning and they are making contact with the Carbis Bay Hotel.
“Officers are now trawling through the system to see if an application has been submitted or not because as yet nothing is officially on the planning portal.
“This is obviously a sensitive issue with G7 but that cannot and must not be an excuse for the planning system to be ridden roughshod over and the much talked about ‘legacy’ of G7 for Cornwall to be the further wanton destruction of Carbis Bay valley. I am not impressed.”
In a statement issued yesterday the Carbis Bay Hotel said: “The investments in the estate over recent years, including our on-site Energy Centre, have cemented Carbis Bay’s position as one of the UK’s best and greenest destinations, in one of the most beautiful bays in the country.
“We appreciate that our passion and commitment to the environment are shared by many, and would like to address the misunderstanding on social media, and reassure our guests and neighbours about the area that we are working on at the moment.
“Part of our long-standing plans for the estate included clearing a small self-seeded scrubland area to the side of the hotel, and work on this area started several years ago. We can confirm this was not ancient woodland and there are no badger sets on this piece of land.
“We are working closely with a local landscaping team to increase planting in this area replacing the scrubland with a plethora of trees and plants more suited to the coastal environment.
“The South West Coast Path is fully open and there are no plans for this to be re-routed. Our commitment to this important route through the estate includes the upgrading of the existing surface to improve access and safe passage to the beach.
“Carbis Bay Estate is committed to sustainability, and dedicated to protecting the environment now, and for generations to come.”
Local resident and former GP Rupert Manley said: “Regardless of what’s going on, there is the potential of starting a legacy for generations to come and it would be a tragedy if this was the legacy of the G7 summit. It’s undemocratic. There’s no support in any planning guidance. On the contrary there’s a lot of reasons why it should not be allowed.”
Environmental campaigner Elise Langley added: “It’s disrespectful, when they last put a planning application in for the same site it was denied. The National Trust objected to it, local people objected to it, the town councillors objected to it.
“It was because of the effects on wildlife and the loss of biodiversity. They know 100 percent that the planning application in normal circumstances would be denied and they have gone ahead with it anyway, it’s shocking and disgusting and they shouldn’t be allowed to go ahead with it.
“They can’t give retrospective planning permission when it was previously denied it would make it look like they’re taking the easy way out. It needs to go through all the proper procedures.
“I saw the statement from Carbis Bay Hotel and they didn’t answer any of the questions. They said it was a self seeded woodland, well that’s the best type of woodland there is. It takes a long time to grow.”
Cornwall Council said: “Cornwall Council has received a planning application from Carbis Bay Hotel. Like all planning applications, it will be processed in accordance with current planning regulations.
“We have received a number of complaints in relation to work already being undertaken at the hotel, which the council’s planning enforcement team is investigating.”