Newquay Town Council could be going into battle with Cornwall Council over plans to redevelop the Narrowcliff. 

The town council has voted unanimously to give mayor Cllr Margaret North, town clerk Andrew Curtis, Cllr Joanna Kenny and deputy mayor Cllr Drew Creek delegated authority to move forward in seeking legal advice on a judicial review and to spend up to £5,000 initially. 

The town council could instigate court proceedings to review the lawfulness of the decision-making process if the proposal to knock down the Hotel Bristol, Narrowcliff Hotel and Narrowcliff Surgery and build 143 new homes in three separate buildings over five storeys on the site is given the green light by Cornwall Council under delegated authority. 

The town council would like to see Cornwall Council’s central sub-area planning committee making the decision on the proposal as more than 700 people have opposed various plans for the site over the years and it would give the public an opportunity to air their views. 

Newquay Central Cornwall councillor Louis Gardner has decided against ‘calling in’ the planning application despite the level of opposition. 

He argues the scheme meets all the planning criteria, would offer the required affordable housing and would facilitate and help to pay for a new doctor’s surgery. 

Town councillors point to ‘significant’ local concern over the ‘monstrosity’ of the scheme.  

When debating potentially going for a judicial review, some town councillors raised concerns that the cost could be more than £1-million. 

The town council agreed to limit the amount spent on legal advice to £5,000 to get an independent review if the scheme is granted under delegated authority.

It was said several times at the meeting that if the application had been called in to the planning committee, then the town council would not need to even consider a judicial review. 

People have opposed the Narrowcliff proposal as they fear the scheme will dwarf the surrounding area. 

Residents, the town council and the Cornish Buildings Group at Risk Project also object to the Hotel Bristol being knocked down to make way for the scheme. They argue that the Edwardian-era hotel should be preserved due to its local importance of being one of only five historic hotels still standing in Newquay. 

Cllr Joanna Kenny, the chairman of Newquay’s planning committee, who put forward the legal advice motion, said: “I’m not saying we are going to do a judicial review. What I am saying is we cannot do anything until they have made their decision. I hope they see sense and just call it in.”