The New Approach

Background

Our aim is to create an exemplary development for Carlyon Bay which will involve high quality design and building technology to establish a first class year-round mixed use development incorporating residential and leisure facilities.  Our project will broaden the tourism offer in the South West and reinforce Cornwall as a visitor destination as well as achieving regeneration and community benefits for the local area.

Following the outcome of the public inquiry in 2007, we felt it was a good opportunity to learn lessons from some of the views that had been expressed and go back to the drawing board.

The Council accepted that the principle of development has been established with our extant scheme but stipulated that there were five ground rules that had to be agreed to enable discussions for a new scheme to progress.
 

These were:

	No beach recharge (ie no importing of sand or stent to widen the beach)
	Set back of the sea wall – sea defences to meet modern standards as set out in Government Guidance PPSD25
	Less development on Shorthorn – a “lighter touch”
	A scheme that responds to its context in Cornwall – but with a contemporary/modern approach
	A sustainable development  - in terms of design/construction/operation

Therefore, following further discussions with CEG and Cornwall Council, some key objectives were defined that a future scheme for Carlyon Bay would need to meet.   

As a result, the Council and CEG entered into a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) in June 2009 which sets out a process for consultation and the approach to be taken to re-examine the site and whether an improved scheme can be identified for Carlyon Bay.  The objectives are:

	To be sustainable (in economic/environmental/social terms)
	Not to increase either unit numbers or leisure/commercial floorspace (of the extant permission)
	To rebalance the quantum of floorspace on Crinnis and Shorthorn beaches, focusing on Crinnis
	No beach recharge
	Ensure the sea defences provide protection to 1:200 year flood defence standard
	Achieve a design that is appropriate for Cornwall
	Benefit the local economy
	Provide good public access for all
	Provide a variety of landscape areas
	Increase the size of usable beach without involving beach recharge
	To prepare an informal Planning Brief
	To achieve an exemplary visitor destination providing social and economic enhancements for the St Austell area