People 'vindicated' as G7 Summit hotel ordered to tear down buildings put up without permission

  • Watch Kathy Wardle's report

People living near the Cornwall hotel which hosted world leaders last year say they are relieved meeting rooms built without permission will be torn down.

The Carbis Bay Hotel hosted world leaders at the G7 Summit in June last year.

But before the event, the hotel built new meeting rooms without planning permission - destroying several trees in the process.

The hotel did put in a retrospective planning application for the work after trees and scrub had been cleared from the site - but it was later withdrawn.

Cornwall Council then issued an enforcement notice against the work and the planning inspectorate has now said the development must be taken down, saying it caused "very significant harm" to the landscape.

Carbis Bay Hotel hosted world leaders including Prime Minister Johnson and President Biden. Credit: PA

Leader of Cornwall Council Cllr Linda Taylor said: "For the residents and the many protestors who objected to the application as it was first submitted, they will feel vindicated that the inspectors made this decision.

"It was a planning application that was not completed, it was not supported by residents, it was not supported by me.

"I called it in and Cornwall Council never had the opportunity to discuss it because the application was withdrawn.

"The developer was absolutely reminded at various stages during the course of construction that this was being done without planning permission.

"This message from the Planning Inspectorate sends a strong message to any other developers who are thinking the planning laws don't apply to them.

"We have planning for a reason and this is a vindication that we must all adhere to those planning conditions, because they are there to protect the environment and our communities, so I welcome the decision."

St Ives musician Bailey Tomkinson was so incensed by what she called "the destruction of the Cornish headland" she wrote a song about it called Bright Red.

Bailey Tomkinson wrote a song about the development

The song topped the iTunes video chart. She also performed at a protest on the beach over the hotel developments.

Bailey told ITV News she is relieved the meeting rooms will now have to go.

"It's like Joni Mitchell's song, 'pave paradise to put up a parking lot', so it is really upsetting.," she said.

"It is great news that we will get some more trees back there now once they've knocked the buildings down, and hopefully they will try and restore what they destroyed."

The hotel declined ITV News' request for comment.