A diving school’s application to place a shipping a container on a ‘promenade’ above a popular Falmouth beach complete with spiral staircase and roof terrace has been described as “completely inappropriate”.
Dive In on Castle Beach is looking to replace its current wooden hut with a timber clad shipping container, to expand its business.
The design incorporates a spiral staircase on the left hand side going up a roof terrace and also a balcony in front of the shipping container above the beach attached to the concrete plinth.
The company is currently based in a wooden hut between the café and the beach huts at the back of the popular beach off Cliff Road, Falmouth.
The application seeks to apply for full planning permission for replacement of sheds with shipping container with roof terrace and balcony off the promenade.
At a meeting of Falmouth Town Council’s planning committee on Monday evening, councillors heard that the design was completely inappropriate.
Comments from the Neighbourhood Development Team were read out at the meeting which highlighted the fact that the application was in a conservation area and near to a Grade Two listed hotel.
“This is a poor design inadequate drawings and the proposal for a roof terrace is entirely out of character as it is a spiral staircase,” the NDP said. “The signature is also insensitive and storage should be achieved without harming the sensitive location in a conservation area.”
Cllr Allan Jewell said he agreed with the NDP comments that it was totally out of character. “It’s unbelievable,” he said.
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Committee chairman Cllr Steve Eva said he was not opposed to a container to store the gear in, but was totally opposed to a spiral staircase, a balcony and a roof terrace.
Cllr Brod Ross also expressed concern about people banging their head on the balcony supports over the beach. "They're a bit low," he said.
Councillors voted to recommend refusal on the grounds the design was inappropriate.
A final decision will be made by Cornwall Council.
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