The seaside village of Portreath has encountered over the past few years many of the issues troubling the whole of Cornwall.
Located on the north coast of Cornwall and some three miles northwest of Redruth, Portreath remains a stunning holiday destination but is concerned about over-development, lack of affordable housing and even its sewage.
Some of these topics emerged during a planning committee held on July 31 and attended by a record number of locals.
American-owned Gwel an Mor, a holiday resort overlooking the village offering rental and sale of luxury lodges, filed two applications with the Cornwall Council that would see it knocking down ten lodges around a fishing lake to replace them with nine bigger dwellings as well as the creation of 10 more.
If successful, these applications would see Gwel an Mor, owned by holiday giant Cove, being able to accommodate more than 1,700 – the size of Portreath.
But councillors objected to both applications amid the cheering of many residents.
While not all those in Portreath agree with blocking the applications, many believe the village’s current infrastructure can’t sustain much more pressure.
Scott Treloar, who gave himself the nickname of “El Prezidente of Cornwall” and has lived in his van on the opposite hillside from Gwan an Mor for three decades, told CornwallLive: “People up there don’t spend their money in the village.
“We haven’t got the infrastructure here for more building and second homes – the sewage treatment plant gets overloaded. There’s been a number of times when poo has been running down the street.”
He added: “Portreath can’t cope with it – we’re not Carbis Bay or St Ives. It’s endangering the local community down here because it will flood. The houses in Portreath should be for local people, not rich holidaymakers.”
The smelly issue also reached Portreath’s beach last week, one of the 25 Cornish seashores hit by a sewage alert issued by Surfers Against Sewage after storm sewage was discharged from a sewer overflow.
Dave Heard, who runs HQ Surf Shop, spoke instead about the decreasing number of visitors he has noticed since the coronavirus pandemic. He said: “Another year of this weather and people aren’t going to come back. People I know have stopped doing Airbnb now as it’s dropped right off.”
He added: “It feels like Gwel an Mor is taking over the village. They want to build more homes but the trouble is they’ll just sit there empty. Will they sell them off as houses? It’s big enough, they don’t need to do anymore – it’s like they’re creating a new town.”
Not all residents see Gwen an Mor as a threat, with Tanya Goldsworthy, who runs an ice cream beach kiosk, said: “I’ve got nothing against them.
“A lot of people who stay there use the village and it brings in trade for local businesses. Staff bring kids down to explore rock pools and the beach.”
Prior to last week’s meeting, a spokesperson for Gwel an Mor said: “We have brought forward careful and considered proposals that seek to balance Gwel an Mor’s long-term future as a leading hospitality destination with our place as part of the Portreath community and our desire to deliver for wildlife and the environment.”
The fishing lodges proposal, they also said, “amounts to a reduction in overall numbers within that part of the site and it will help Gwel an Mor become more attractive to families”.
The spokesperson added: “Both schemes sit alongside our proposals for enhanced leisure and food offerings on site through the Karenza Spa scheme that received unanimous support from the community, which we are grateful for.”
