Decision on eco holiday park in Cornwall at Dean Quarry

A public open day was first held in June 2022 by a “potential purchaser of Dean Quarry”, on the outskirts of St Keverne on the Lizard Peninsula.

The previous month, Michael Shaw of Hieronymus Gruff Limited had told St Keverne parish councillors that his company would be submitting planning for change of use of the quarry site, to build holiday eco-lodges.

An online information brochure, dated April 2022, described them as "ethical holiday homes" that would be a net zero carbon operation, with each lodge powered solely by electricity generated from renewables.

A planning application was subsequently submitted to Cornwall Council, in May 2023, for the change of use of the quarry into a 56-lodge eco-holiday park.

The proposals, by Wilderness Escapes, asked for the existing use of the site as a stone quarry to be rescinded and replaced by a holiday park for 53 eco-lodges, together with a further three holiday eco-lodges for the sole benefit of charitable causes.

It had previously been suggested that recipients of the income from these charity lodges would be The Friends of St Keverne Health Centre, St Keverne Band and the Lizard Lifeboat Sation, together with regular marine surveys of the Manacles Marine Conservation Zone.

Planning documents at the time stated that 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."

Dean Quarry as it looks now (Image: Wilderness Escapes) The plans added: "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.”

However, Cornwall Ramblers Association objected to the proposal, as did St Keverne Parish Council, citing the detrimental effect on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the flora and fauna that had started to return.

Councillors also stated there was “no ‘need’ for any more tourist accommodation,” fearing that those staying in the proposed lodges would take income away from the owners of traditional holiday lets.

There were an additional 42 comments of objection by members of the public, with only three in support.

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In the decision report by a planning officer at Cornwall Council, it is noted that the applicant had pointed out the current site owners, Shire Oak Quarries, had been approached by other quarry operators and that conditional contracts had been exchanged on the basis of planning consent being obtained for the lodges.

“Should the subject planning application be ultimately refused, the applicant will drop aside. Shire Oak Quarries have claimed they would then sell the site to one of the other quarry operators.

“The applicant makes the case that the fallback position of re-opening the quarry would be to the detriment of the site as a whole in visual as well as environmental terms,” the officer writes.

An example of the planned eco-lodges (Image: Wilderness Escapes) However, the officer goes on to further note: “It is acknowledged that the resumption of mineral extraction at the site is likely to result in further harm to the National Landscape, will impact on site biodiversity and protected sites, and result in further disturbance from blasting, crushing and heavy vehicle movements.

“However, the minerals permission is currently granted for a temporary period only (until 8th August 2035) and there is no guarantee that further planning applications will be lodged to extend this period, or indeed the site will be purchased and re-worked by a new quarry operator.”

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Moving on to location and accessibility, the planning officer states that the most direct route from the quarry site to St Keverne was along a “relatively narrow and winding unclassified rural highway” that was “not deemed to be particularly attractive to pedestrian usage given the absence of any footways or lighting.”

“The route would also be particularly unattractive to more sustainable transport modes (walking and cycling) during periods of darkness and inclement weather,” added the officer.

While noting that in the plans each lodge would be provided with electric charging facilities for electric vehicles, as well as E-bikes and mopeds, the officer adds: “There is no certainty that any future operators of the site would retain a similar business model.”

Little to no activity has occurred at Dean Quarry in recent years (Image: Wilderness Escapes) With regards to the look of the lodges, the officer states: “The presence of an extensive number of lodges within the landscape would be unavoidably visible and extremely prominent, particularly from the South West Coast Path to the south at Lowland Point, as it passes to the east of the site between the quarry and jetty.

“In addition, they would be visible from the adjacent coastal waters which are much used by both dive boats and other passing marine traffic.

“The introduction of lodges into this existing industrial landscape, whilst sterilising the area from further mineral extraction, would harmfully introduce a new domestic character to this rugged and exposed coastal location.”

Given the above, the officer refused planning permission for the lodges, stating: “Despite some moderate economic benefits arising from the scheme, the environmental harm identified throughout this report is considered significant and therefore overriding in the overall planning balance.”

The full application and decision can be found on Cornwall Council’s planning portal via its website, under reference PA22/09928.