Proposals by a parish council to build affordable housing on former Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) barracks in Cornwall are being opposed by a climate action group, which claims it will destroy a vital nature reserve.

Portreath Parish Council has argued the land proposed for around 20 new homes is “overgrown scrubland” and is not a nature reserve.

A war of words has broken out between Portreath Climate Action Network and the parish council over the possible development on land at Cambrose near the village of Bridge, where the concrete remains of the former Second World War WAAF camp still remain.

The new homes, if approved, would be managed by Coastline Housing with a condition that preference would be given to local people within the parish, where 56 people are currently on the housing register.

Drivers heading to Portreath will have seen a banner on a hedge in front of the site featuring the word Biodiversity, placed there by the climate group.

Local resident Sara Clasper, who is part of the network, said: “A lot of people are against this and we are drumming up support to oppose it. In 2016 the parish council wanted to create a nature reserve with an education centre, with hides, etc, on the site. That was our dream and would have celebrated the site and women’s history associated with the WAAF camp. It didn’t ever happen. The site’s been left for 40 years.

“The council says it’s a brownfield site, which we don’t agree with. There are four badger setts on the land, including one under a concrete bunker.

"There are protected county wildlife sites in the area which this would link to. The impact on nature if this happens is huge and we cannot afford to do that anymore. People say ‘it’s okay there’s plenty more land’ but there isn’t. This is our rainforest.”

Sara Clasper, from Portreath Climate Action Network, with their banner near the land mooted for housing. (Pic: Lee Trewhela / LDRS)

Sara Clasper, from Portreath Climate Action Network, with their banner near the land mooted for housing. (Pic: Lee Trewhela / LDRS)

She said that the development goes against biodiversity policy in the Cornwall Local Plan and felt there had already been inappropriate clearance on the site.

“This is a busy road, with no bus service, no footpaths, there’s no infrastructure and is near the Devoran to Portreath cycle path and as such is unsuitable for housing. It goes against the Neighbourhood Development Plan which states that any new development has to adjoin a settlement, which this doesn’t. And we see this as sporadic development which also isn’t suitable.”

The council has put posters on all noticeboards in the parish stating: “The parish council has entered into an agreement with a housing developer and Coastline Housing to investigate the possibility of developing the former WAAF site at Cambrose and to submit an appropriate planning application if it is thought feasible.

“The application would be for a small development of 100% affordable housing in perpetuity with a Section 106 agreement giving preference to local people. If built, the site would be managed by Coastline Housing and would probably be a mix of rental and shared ownership properties.”

The council has urged any local people who feel they are eligible to register with Cornwall Home Choice to demonstrate the need for any local housing to aid a planning application.

Ian Stewart, chairman of Portreath Parish Council, disagreed with the climate network’s stance, saying: “There’s a lot of support but there’s also a very vocal minority who are shouting very loudly. They keep calling it a nature reserve. It’s overgrown scrubland.

"Yes, there’s wildlife there... the parish council also cares about nature and the environment, but we have to take a balanced view when considering local housing need. The development would have to improve the biodiversity rather than destroy it.”

He said that all relevant biodiversity, ecological and environmental surveys have or will be carried out in readiness for a public consultation meeting later this month or in early July, with the aim of applying for planning permission from Cornwall Council in August. If approved, building could start in January 2024.

Mr Stewart added that 56 people are registered as being in need of housing within Portreath parish. “Just talking to people around the parish I know there are a lot of people looking for housing who aren’t on the register.”

Mr Stewart verified that the council did have plans for a wildlife education centre on the land seven years ago. “The bigger idea was that the centre would generate income to pay for the public toilets at the beach. For some reason it never happened and the land has just been left as it is with the concrete remains of the WAAF site.”

He also stated that the former Kerrier District Council used the site for makeshift council housing in the 1970s.