The next phase of the redevelopment of Hayle Harbour has been approved by councillors after the most contentious elements were withdrawn at the last minute.

Outline planning permission has already been granted for the overall development and today councillors approved a reserved matters application which covers the North Quay area.

That included 375 homes, shops, industrial and fishing units, a hotel, community buildings and open space.

However the applicants amended the application yesterday (Wednesday March 31) to withdraw some parts which had been raised concerns with the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) which advises on the World Heritage Site of which the harbour is part.

As a result the areas of development in the Hilltop, Eastern Gateway and East Quay parts of the site have been removed. These will now be subject to a separate reserved matters planning application which is expected to be submitted in May.

The applicants had amended the planning application after having meetings with ICOMOS about the areas where they had concerns.

However ICOMOS was highly critical of the applicants and the way that they had represented the comments they had made about the scheme.

Responding to a report which had been submitted about the changes ICOMOS said: “ICOMOS does not believe that this report accurately reflects the ICOMOS comments, nor does it adequately respond to them. Secondly, the plans provided do not adequately address the heritage issues that have been raised.”

The organisation said that there were elements of the proposals which would result in “unacceptable impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of the Hayle Harbour component of the World Heritage property”.

Cornwall Council’s strategic planning committee agreed unanimously to approve the remaining parts of the reserved matters application.

However councillors heard from two members of the public who raised serious concerns about the plans.

David Gordon said that the development was “a socio-economic and environmental travesty”.

He added: “It is disgraceful that at the last minute the applicant has withdrawn elements due to the concerns of ICOMOS.”

Mr Gordon said that the committee should not look at the application in parts and should look at it as a whole.

He added that there were still concerns about the affordable housing which would be provided in the development.

Mr Gordon said: “All the affordable housing is at the top end of the site, it is the worst type of ghettoisation.”

He added: “It is time for Cornwall Council to take back control and revisit and re-examine the controversial elements of this development.”

Peter Channon told the committee that “a dreadful state has befallen Hayle” with the development. He compared the development site as looking like a bombed site in Beirut.

He said that there was no reason to rush a decision and said that it was important that it was done in the right way to protect the World Heritage Site.

“Cornwall worked hard for this status,” he said “are we just throwing it away piece by piece?”

He added: “Cornwall has to decide are we serious about the World Heritage Site or not, in the case of Hayle is it clear we are not.”

Mr Channon said that there needed to be a proper debate about the proposals and that councillors should have a site visit to see the development area themselves.

Simon Wright, for the applicants, said that his company was “immensely proud of what is being and what will be achieved” at Hayle Harbour.

He said that the remaining concerns raised by ICOMOS were “minor” and said that he expected them to be resolved with a further application.

Mr Wright said that while works on the harbour development had paused all work would start by the end of the April or the beginning of May.

John Pollard, Cornwall councillor for Hayle North, said that he supported the planning officer’s recommendation to approve the application.

He said: “I welcome the fact that the developer has decided to withdraw the contentious elements at this point.”

But he added: “It is a shame that the public comments contain so much misunderstanding of the situation.”

Cllr Pollard said that he hoped that the developers and ICOMOS would work together to find a solution: “I urge both parties to come to a quick conclusion on those elements. We have seen on South Quay that it is possible to reach a compromise.”

However Cllr Pollard, who is not standing for election in May, said he was disappointed that he had not been able to oversee the completion of the Hayle Harbour scheme while serving as a councillor.

Graham Coad, who represents Hayle South, echoed Cllr Pollard’s comments and said that there had been a lot of work with heritage officials to ensure the development was sympathetic to the World Heritage Site.

He said: “I listened to the objectors and their lack of understanding about what has happened with the proposals. I and John and other people have sat in workshops for years and years to talk about these development with the heritage people and we have walked them around the site.

“It has really been a joint effort between the heritage people, the developer and local representatives.”

The committee voted unanimously in favour of delegating authority to officers to approve the reserved matters consent subject to amended plans being received and conditions being agreed.