CAMPAIGNERS face the first hurdle in their fight to keep a Newquay headland open to the public.

Cornwall Council states there is no public right of way in place to stop a development being constructed at the former Glendorgal Hotel in Lusty Glaze Road from becoming a gated housing community.

Residents had hoped Blue Chip Hotel Ltd, which is building 13 units on the site including apartments, townhouses, semi-detached properties and duplex houses, would have no right to block off the public as people have been walking there for generations.

The fears follow the entrance onto Porth Beach being boarded up and Seamus Redmond, the director of Blue Chip Hotel Ltd, stating on social media it is private land and that people who have walked there in the past have been trespassing.

Residents now plan to apply to Cornwall Council for a definitive map modification order to allow people to walk on the headland.

A campaign group titled Keep Cornwall’s Coast Open has also been launched and is appealing to people to submit photos of themselves on the headland over the years as well as share memories.

A spokesperson for Cornwall Council said: “There is no public right of way on the headland.

“Where a group or individual feel that a public right of way has not been recorded, they can make a definitive map modification order application.

Cornwall Council has not received an application to record a public right of Way at Glendorgal headland.

“More details about a definitive map modification order applications can be found on the Cornwall Council website.”

Resident Max Carnage said: “if a piece of land has been used over a period of time there are grounds for it to become a right of way.

“I believe something like 20 years or so perhaps.

“A way to prevent this from happening is to block it off once a year, no such action has ever been noted on this stretch of headland.”

Resident Matt Kennedy Smith added: I will apply to amend the definitive map modification order, so it is in place based on continuous unobstructed use over 20 years

“Speaking to locals who have lived here longer than me, like 65 years plus, they all remember access on to the headland and a footpath round to the steps to the beach.”