Newquay campaigners call for cliff top planning permission to be revoked
Watch the moment Leah Steward captured the cliff fall
Campaigners are calling for planning permission to be revoked on a Newquay holiday home development that's proposed to be built on the site of two recent cliff falls.
The Save Whipsiderry Cliffs group say they're concerned the site above cliffs at Porth is not safe to build on, after a second cliff fall in the last month.
The most recent cliff fall in Porth, near Newquay, happened just before midday on Tuesday 19 December.
It comes after another cliff fall on Wednesday 29 November, when the cliffs and beach steps were cordoned off due to safety concerns.
Andrew Robey, from Save Whipsiderry Cliffs, says residents want an investigation into why the development was approved.
He told ITV News: ‘’First of all we want planning to be removed, obviously this site is unsuitable to build on now. The second thing we want is an investigation, there’s so much that’s led up until this point that should have been looked into.’’
In a statement Cornwall Council said: ''There is no development activity on the site at the moment and we are not aware of the future intentions at this stage. ''
The former Paradise Cove hotel site above Whipsiderry cliffs was bought by Living Quarter Properties Porth in 2007. That same year Cornwall Council granted planning permission for seven luxury three and four bedroom linked holiday villas with private terraces and balconies called 'The View'.
In order to build on the cliffs, the developer needed to carry out cliff stabilisation work, which includes infilling up to three small caves at the bottom of the cliffs with concrete.
The Marine Management Organisation granted a licence for the work in July 2022, which got underway in February with minor excavation work and the installation of rock bolts.
After a cliff fall in April, the withdrawal of an access licence by the Duchy of Cornwall, and protests held at the site by local campaigners, the MMO licence was suspended in September 2023 so fresh geotechnical surveys could be carried out.
The findings of the those surveys have since been published by the MMO.
It's made a recommendation that the developer must provide further evidence and justification for the design of the cliff stabilisation works, and assessments of the impact on the coast before a licence can be granted again.
That could take an estimated five-seven months to complete.
An MMO spokesperson said: “We are currently considering the content of the report and cannot make any comment at this time.”
Cornwall Council has reiterated advice that people should stay away from the area.
It said: "Please stay away from the area for your own safety. Be aware that with the steps closed, there is a risk of getting cut off by the tide."
Living Quarter Properties has been approached for comment.