Plans for new eco-holiday park in Cornwall at Dean Quarry

The proposals, which were submitted by Wilderness Escapes, state the existing use of the site as a stone quarry to be rescinded and replaced by a holiday park for 53 eco-lodges, for holiday use only, together with a further three holiday eco-lodges for the sole benefit of charitable causes.

The site is approximately one mile to the south-east of St Keverne and is situated in Dean Quarry which has around 100 years of mining history, although little to no mining activity has occurred there over recent years.

Dean Quarry (Image: Wilderness Escapes)

According to the Design and Access Statement, the site's layout would be incorporated into the existing quarry layout and vegetation in order for it to become "a harmonious part of the landscape, rather than becoming obtrusive and overpowering it."

The plans also state: "There will be no ‘domestic’ features, such as lawns or flower beds. The existing vegetation will be all that is required. There will be no hard surfaces introduced, such as tarmac roads, paths, or curb edgings.

"The existing quarried stone road surfaces will be all that is needed to service the development. There will be no new or additional roadways. There will be no fences, defined plots, outbuildings, gardens, gates, unsightly signs, fences, street lighting or other ’domestic’ clutter.

An example of the planned eco-lodges (Image: Wilderness Escapes)

"The ethos is that the accommodation sits within the existing landscape. Cornish hedges will replace the existing security fences on the northern boundary. Visitors will stay within the landscape, in order to fully experience it. They will not be visiting an ‘urban’ development."

The plans also state that the lodges themselves will be built off-site in a factory, using a modular construction system which, according to the application, helps to control costs and waste.

It is also noted that modular construction does not need to be demolished in the future. The modular units can be moved so that, if there is a sudden need for a different use for the land, there is no need to knock down the accommodation and discard it.

Each eco-lodge will be provided with two car parking spaces to the rear. A further 20 spaces will be provided at the entrance area

Little to no activity has occurred at Dean Quarry in recent years (Image: Wilderness Escapes)

The site will also look to promote natural habitats, with one external bat box and one external bird box to be fitted to each eco-lodge.

To encourage further habitats for reptiles and amphibians, four hibernaculum will be created. In order to provide accommodation for solitary bees, two bee posts will be erected within the site. The bee posts will reportedly contain cavities in which solitary bees can lay their eggs.