Safety concerns over wall built above Coverack beach

St Keverne Parish Council heard a retrospective planning application made by solicitors Stephen Scown on behalf of their clients at The Croft, North Corner.

A representative of the firm told members that the owner had believed she did not need planning permission to build a retaining wall on her land. She had since discovered, however, that while an enclosing wall was permitted development, a retaining wall was not.

“The wall was built because the garden was eroding from rainwater run off,” added the representative.

However, councillor Sarah Lyne questioned whether the wall complied with building regulations, as it had not gone through the planning process.

“If not, how safe is it for the public to be on the beach below it?” she added.

The decision over whether to support the wall remaining in place split the council.

Councillor Bill Frisken pointed out that while Natural England had objected to a smaller wall being built at one of the other houses on that stretch, “in this case they don’t seem to have noticed this great retaining wall like the walls of Jericho.”

However, councillor Michael Anselmi believed it was important to have the wall, saying: “The boundary is being washed away and it is some form of retention.”

He did, though, add it was a “terrible shame” that local stone had not been used to face the wall, with councillor Russell Peters agreeing about its “brightness.”

Mr Peters said that he “totally disagreed” with how the matter had been dealt but also thought it was necessary work.

He proposed the council support the application, but ask for the wall to be recovered with local stone and be subject to an engineer’s report over safety.

Councillor Roger Combe had earlier recommended rejection of the plans, and with members equally split acting chairman Roger Richards had the casting vote.

He voted in favour of supporting the application, although the final decision rests with Cornwall Council.