CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after a developer’s proposed method to stabilise the cliffs at Whipsiderry ahead of building a controversial housing scheme was dismissed on appeal.

Planning Inspector Nick Davies concluded Living Quarter Properties (Porth) Limited’s plans to use rock bolts and mesh cliff defence works would not protect the proposed seven luxury villas on the site of the former Paradise Cove Hotel from cliff erosion for its lifetime.

The developer appealed against Cornwall Council’s refusal to discharge condition two of its planning permission, which was held at the Griffin Inn on Tuesday, November 11.

The inspector heard from coastal erosion experts from both sides and also attended a site visit.

Mr Davies concluded: “The submitted scheme proposes a uniform grid of anchors on a highly complex cliff face. The appellant accepted at the Hearing that the works would likely depart from the specification as more detailed knowledge is gained during implementation.

“The scheme gives the on-site engineer significant discretion to make decisions on such variation of the scheme with no mechanism to ensure council oversight.

“Furthermore, the scheme contains no details for the defence of the part of the cliff that is behind the scree pile, leaving this entirely to the recommendations of a geotechnical engineer at an unspecified time in the future.

“Moreover, the maintenance schedule lacks the detail that is necessary to ensure that the stabilisation works are properly maintained.

“For all of these reasons, I conclude that the submitted scheme of cliff defence works would not protect the development from cliff erosion for its lifetime.”

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: “We are delighted the appeal against the rejection of condition two, the method of stabilising the cliffs, using rock bolts and mesh, has been dismissed by the planning inspectorate.

“Of course, the valid planning permission still exists for the building of the seven holiday villas so in theory the developer can submit another proposal to discharge condition two, but in the meantime, we are celebrating that correct decision has been made.”

Resident John Fitter who has opposed the scheme said: “I am delighted that the planning Inspector has turned down the appeal to do engineering works on the cliff below the Paradise Cove development site, and much credit must go to the members of the Save Whipsiderry Cliffs Group who have opposed this planned form of engineering works for such a long time, and this is noted by the inspector in paragraph eight of his report where he draws attention to the expert view of Steven Parry who was retained by the SWCG and provided that expert view on the geotechnical nature of the site which would have helped the inspector in the decision making process to refuse the application.

“While everyone will be delighted at this refusal, the flawed permission granted by the former Restormel Council to build holiday homes on the site has not gone away, I certainly believe that Cornwall Council must now look very carefully at whether the time has now not come when they need to look very carefully at whether this current permission has any viability, especially in view of this very detailed report, and as such it should be given the last rites.”