If you care for the environment, please help!

[DavebytheSea]

It may surprise some of you to know that 1/3 of England's coastline is in the beautiful County of Cornwall. Various demographic changes together with an improved infrastructure and communications have made our population one of the fastest growing in the UK. Much of this influx has been from the wealthier section of our populace which has driven up house prices and the cost of living in an area which remains one of the poorest in the country, with a very high level of unemployment.

The favoured playground of young royals, and yuppies, the Cornish coastline is increasingly under pressure for development even in a time of severe recession. An example of this is the proposed Greenbank development in Falmouth harbour. Much of the waterfront has already been recreated (and in some cases improved) where modern housing and apartments have been built where previously small boatyards had their slipways running through the old coaling wharves and quays. However, a small section of undeveloped foreshore remains - the last such foreshore possibly anywhere. The Greenbank proposal would build over most of this with a hotel resort complex built on stilts out over the water for some 200 yards to the west of the already existing hotel site. Such a development would be an anachronism in this beautiful harbour and many of us feel that enough is enough.

Please take a look at this site which explains the proposals in some detail:

http://www.save-our-foreshores.co.uk/

If you are moved to do so, please make your views known; a link is on the site for this purpose. If ever you want to visit the area, please drop in - we even have the odd spare bed or two when not overrun with our offspring and their friends.

[Mid A 15]

I have not been to Cornwall for about 20 years now but have always liked the coasts and scenery of the county.

Much of Kent has been ruined largely I suppose because of the proximity of London.

I hope you are successful in protecting your area of Cornwall from the scourge of indiscriminate development. I have fond memories of Falmouth.

[DavebytheSea]

Thanks so much for that word of encouragement.

In case it helps, here is a copy of my own email to the movers and shakers. ..... now just where did that last little clause come from ..... ?

As a long-time resident of Flushing (I have lived in my house for 55 years), I have seen many changes to the Falmouth Waterfront. Where once there were boatyard slipways and coaling Quays, there are now town houses and flats designed to blend with the older buildings behind. Much of the waterfront from the High Street to the Greenbank Hotel has remained open, giving spectacular views across the harbour from the roadway which has been further enhanced by improved access to the waterfront for locals and visitors alike. Generally speaking, the changes have been for the better - retaining the character of our historic port while improving accessibility. The innovative Park and Float scheme between Ponsharden and the Maritime Museum provides visiting motorists with a stunning visual introduction to Falmouth, while helping to alleviate the problem of vehicular clogging of our streets.

The visual enchantment of the harbour would be seriously diminished by the Greenbank proposal. The scheme would, at a stroke, destroy the character of the harbour, inhibit foreshore access to all but the favoured few, and deprive the birdlife of a habitat now much favoured by herons and egrets.

I do hope that the planners will make every effort to preserve this unique waterfront from such unsuitable development. I am sure they, like many of our local residents, feel proud to be associated with this historic port, situated as it is, in one of the world's most beautiful natural harbours. All of us who are fortunate to live here, planners, councillors as well as us ordinary folk have, it seems to me, an overriding responsibility to pass on to future generations what we so richly have enjoyed.

There is a useful button on the site. By clicking on it, you can send an email to all those that matter.