Drugs, noise and litter concerns at holiday park in Cornwall

Parkdean Resorts applied to Cornwall Council to vary its licence at Lizard Point Holiday Park, at Penhale, close to the Mullion turn off, but received three representations from worried neighbours who live in the five-dwelling hamlet next to the site. As a result, the matter was brought before a licensing sub-committee today (Wednesday, April 17).

The meeting heard that the national holiday company wanted to change the name of the site on the Lizard Peninsula from Lizard Point By Parkdean Resorts Complex to the snappier Lizard Point Holiday Park, amend layout plans within the park and add a fish and chip shop within the licensed area with the sale of alcohol until the chip shop’s closure at 10.30pm seven days a week. This was reduced in hours from an earlier request for a 1am licence.

The application also included the sale of alcohol at indoor venues on the holiday park on Monday to Sunday from 8am to 1am the following morning, the addition of indoor sporting events for the same hours and a New Year’s Eve extension.

Jonathan Smith, solicitor for Parkdean, said this, along with the current licence to sell alcohol at outdoor areas until 11pm, did not equate to an extension in hours.

Neighbour concerns

Neighbour Mark Leath, who lives with his wife just 100 yards from the site’s entrance, told the sub-committee about various concerns residents have, including the amount of litter which he said is left at a nearby bus stop by the holiday park’s residents and staff, including Lizard Point branded cups.

He was also concerned with drug use in a lane near his home, which he claimed was carried out by people staying at the holiday park.

“We reported that to the general manager, so was that recorded? Were those people expelled from the park? Because the manager at the time said ‘yes, we know these people, we’ve been keeping an eye on them’.

“There is nothing between the entrance and our property apart from Cornish hedges. We get a lot of noise pollution at night. When the park was granted the outside licence in 2020 we had lots of issues of noise from music in the evenings. We made numerous complaints.”

He said the park received complaints from villagers in Mullion over a mile and a half away. “That tells you the levels of noise we are experiencing.”

Mr Leath added: “Our fear is that people may purchase takeaway alcohol from the fish and chip shop, sit outside and drink from the Horseshoe Bar until 11pm and continue to drink outside after 11pm.

"We are in a very rural location so any noise really carries. We cannot open windows in our bedroom at night a lot of the time because of the noise. In fact, we have spent thousands this year replacing our double glazing in the hope it will cut the noise even further.”

Nearby campsite

Jacqueline George owns a small campsite nearby. She told councillors: “It affects my customers when the noise is at a very high level. There was one incident last year where the fire door was used for entertainment staff to go in and out, which we were assured after the licence was issued in 2020 would not happen; that the fire doors and windows all along the back of the club would not be opened or used, and the staff would have to use a different entrance.

“We had two quite unsavoury gentlemen who came into our toilet block and had drugs, and smashed the toilet roll holders and did other damage. I reported it to the general manager at the time, who I believe is no longer there, and they were aware of it. They said security would get them as they went in the gate, but I don’t believe they were expelled.”

She added: “The noise is a big issue. We have a farm, we have young stock across the road from the park – it all has an effect; it’s detrimental to our livestock who can get spooked and injure themselves.”

Stuart Giles, another neighbour, had previously written to the council stating: “The litter from the food outlets and other areas of the park is at times appalling with rubbish hanging in the roadside trees and in the drainage ditches. I have complained several times directly to the park which never seems to be addressed.

“The residents use the nearby bus stop as a dustbin as do they the nearby bridlepath which is used for drug taking. There is a point where the holiday park should take responsibility for the people and the areas surrounding the park, not just close its eyes from the other side of the gate.”

'Break in communication'

Sub-committee chairman Cllr Sheila Lennox-Boyd, who has been a licensee for 43 years running around 13 pubs across Cornwall, said: “I feel there is a break in communication and I’m quite sad to hear these situations.”

Mr Leath responded to comments that he and other residents refused to have a meeting offered by representatives from Parkdean to alleviate the neighbours’ concerns. He said: “We wanted today’s meeting to be transparent and the first time we have this discussion.”

Parkdean’s solicitor told the meeting park staff carry out a litter pick every morning around the front of Lizard Point but not at the bus stop, which isn’t part of their land. Mr Smith added there hadn’t been any reports made to Parkdean about litter issues from the council or highways.

“The suggestion that people who stay on the park are using drugs is particularly concerning. If anybody is found using drugs their holiday will be terminated and they will be asked to leave. That’s what I can say and we do do it,” he added.

Mr Smith responded to the comments about noise being heard in Mullion: “We’ve had no complaints or representation from anyone in Mullion or any representation from the environmental health officer. To say we’re a company that doesn’t care... I don’t know many companies that take noise monitoring equipment out at night whether or not we get any complaints.”

Cllr David Saunby asked if the company could litter pick from the bus stop as an act of good faith. The company agreed.

Decision

The licence application was granted subject to conditions that staff will inspect the immediate vicinity, including the bus stop, every two days to ensure that litter related to the premises is removed, and a current and updated contact telephone number is provided to nearby residents so that complaints can be addressed.

The sub-committee heard concerns that the new licence would cause unreasonable disruption to nearby residents.

However, it was noted there was no response from any responsible authority in relation to those concerns.

Members also noted the concerns about drug taking in the vicinity which were outside the licensed premises and therefore not something they could take into account. They asked that the applicant adheres to all conditions of the licence.