Dan Dan The Lobster Man’s shipping container refused trading permission

A popular seafood takeaway and seating area, which has sold locally caught lobster to locals and tourists on a Cornish harbour for the past three years, has been refused permission to continue trading on the site.

A Cornwall Council planning committee decided today (Monday, March 3) that Dan Dan The Lobster Man’s 20ft shipping container is impacting the listed quay in Porthleven and is causing harm to the town’s conservation area.

Porthleven Harbour and Dock Company applied for retrospective planning permission to site the container at Fisherman’s Quay on Porthleven’s Grade II listed harbour. The business, run by fisherman Daniel Gilbert, started in July 2022 without planning permission or listed building consent and has been operational during the spring, summer and early autumn months ever since.

The council’s planning department recommended approval, stating that “less than substantial harm” within the Cornwall National Landscape and Porthleven Conservation Area would be acceptable due to the business’ economic and social benefits.

However, Porthleven Town Council objected for a number of reasons, including:

• Failure to adequately minimise the impact upon the setting, character and significance of the Grade II listed harbour and conservation area
• Does not meet requirements of the local plan with regard to conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the area
• Loss of parking/restriction to highway
• Concern that the proposal impedes upon Fishermen’s Quay, restricting access, work space, maintenance, etc for local fishermen which would not be in accordance with the Harbour Act 1894

Local member John Keeling, who brought the matter before Cornwall Council’s west area planning committee, backed the town council and believed a better site could be found for the shipping container elsewhere in Porthleven. The Environment Agency initially objected to the application on the grounds of flood risk, but said its concerns could be mitigated by way of planning conditions.

Porthleven’s mayor Mike Toy told the meeting: “My main issues are for the poor fishermen there who have this container in their access route.” He added that Porthleven Fishermen and Boatowners’ Association also objected as where the container is positioned is one of the last parts of land they can access for their boats around the harbour.

Joanna Sharp, a director of Porthleven Harbour and Dock Company, told councillors: “The idea of the container on the quay was brought to us by one of the Porthleven fishermen two years ago as a way for him to sell his seafood catch to the public.”

She said it had traded since then on a seasonal basis, employing local people and providing a popular seafood outlet for locals and tourists. Ms Sharp added it supported what’s left of a very small fishing industry in the village. She said there had been no inconvenience to access and there was minimal impact on the conservation area.

Following discussion, councillors agreed with those who were against the proposal and recommended refusal due to visual impact to the listed quay and harm to the conservation area. The vote to refuse was carried by eight votes for, one against and one abstention.

First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.