BATTLE lines have been drawn ahead of an appeal hearing that will play a crucial part in whether a controversial clifftop luxury housing development is built at Whipsiderry.

A planning inspectorate hearing is being staged at the Griffin Inn on Tuesday, November 11 after Living Quarter Properties (Porth) Limited appealed against Cornwall Council’s refusal to discharge condition two of its planning permission to build seven luxury villas on the site of the former Paradise Cove Hotel.

Cornwall Council concluded the developer had not managed to provide evidence that the development would be protected from cliff erosion for its 125-year lifespan. But AGS Ground Solutions, which the developer commissioned to undertake a ground stability appraisal as part of the application, has argued the reports had not been correctly interpreted.

Teign Consulting Surveying, which is representing Living Quarter Properties (Porth) Limited at the planning appeal, claims the construction of the holiday homes will help stabilise the cliff.

In the opposing side campaign group Save Whipsiderry Cliffs claims there has been a 500 per cent increase in rock falls since the developer started carrying out cliff stabilisation works, which is part of the planning permission before the properties can be constructed.

There have been three major cliff collapses following the cliff stabilisation work, which involved drilling into the rock and inserting steel rods and filling the caves with concrete.

Save Whipsiderry Cliffs has staged several protests to stop the luxury homes being built on the site following fears the cliff will be destabilised and that it will have a detrimental impact on wildlife.

A spokesperson said: “Independent geotechnical reports highlight that there was insufficient investigation into the cliffs before drilling and the plans were simply not good enough for what was proposed. It was lucky that nobody was killed working on the cliff.

“The developer has previously said our group and local residents stopped the potential stabilisation of the cliffs. Firstly, the Duchy of Cornwall and the Marine Management Organisation halted works due to concerns around worker safety and relevant permissions.

“Secondly, reports show that infilling the caves, which is what the developer was trying to do, would not have stopped the cliff falling. The cliff was eroding at a natural rate before drilling; after the developer started drilling, there was a 500 per cent increase in rock falls. It is a miracle nobody was injured or killed.

“The story has always been the same, inadequate investigation and design by a group putting profit before people and the environment.

“Two current independent reports identify concerns around the quality of the current assessment of the cliffs and detail that the new plans for the cliffs, like the last attempt at drilling, are not sufficient and could see a further cliff collapse.

“The idea that the developer is coming to fix things is laughable.

“Hopefully the council can listen to expert opinion and make an informed decision.

“The local community lay blame for the cliff being destroyed and access to a beach being stopped with the developer - Living Quarter Properties. The steps and beach were fine until they turned up.”

Teign Consulting Surveying has been approached for comment.