Campsite sale sparks St Ives' concerns
A PICTURESQUE family campsite in Carbis Bay is set to become a gated resort of 120 luxury holiday homes after it was sold to a London property firm for more than £4 million.
Twenty acre Little Trevarrack describes itself as an award-winning campsite spread across five meadows, within walking distance of Carbis Bay beach and with views of Godrevy.
Now it is to become a luxury all-year-round resort with 120 high end holiday homes after it was acquired by London property fund Frogmore Real Estate Partners for £4.4 million.
The news is bound to cause consternation in St Ives.
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Planning permission for the development was granted in 2010, at the second attempt, to then campsite owners Neil and Annette Osborne.
But St Ives Town Council strongly objected to the plan and 20 letters of objection were sent to the council.
In December 2010, St Ives town councillor and now Mayor of St Ives Ron Tulley told Cornwall Council's planning committee his authority were registering "the strongest possible objection".
On Tuesday he told The Cornishman: "We were opposed to it at the time and we remain so. It's a massive amount of development on what is a green area."
Mr Tulley said he would prefer affordable housing there if the site had to be urbanised.
The plans were first rejected in June 2010 but Cornwall councillors passed the revised plans in December by seven votes to five despite one councillor saying it would "have a massive impact".
At the time it was estimated the cost of creating the state-of-the-art holiday resort – with sports and leisure facilities and resident wardens – would be in the region of £15 million.
New owners Frogmore say they have appointed Newquay-based CC Leisure Concepts Ltd to carry out the work which is due to start at the end of the summer.
The London-based developers say homes will be available for sale later this year with Frogmore's investment director Patrick Smith saying: "Little Trevarrack represented a rare opportunity to invest with scale into a prime location.
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"We believe that there is a strong market for a development of this quality with an increasing number of people looking to holiday in the UK and favouring new build schemes especially when they also provide exclusive use of leisure and spa facilities."
Frogmore's website describes Little Trevarrack as "a prime all-year-round UK holiday destination … a high-specification holiday resort with planning consent for 123 houses and a luxury amenity building with swimming pool, spa, gym and restaurant."
The company says the "centre-piece" leisure building will also include a tennis court and clubhouse. They have said they will be incorporating a number of green and eco-friendly initiatives.
Comments
by gilliangdean
Tuesday, November 20 2012, 10:47PM
“We were very happy campers at Little Trevarrack for over 10 years. We are very angry and upset that this beautiful part of Cornwall is to become a playground for the rich. We will no longer be able to visit this area. Seems we ordinary working folk are being driven out of everywhere by get rich quick developers.”
by bozzyboy
Monday, September 03 2012, 8:13PM
“Another little bit of the Duchy turned into a theme park for rich incomers.
Still, just think of all the employment opportunities: Cleaners, ball-boys, lawnmower drivers etc.
Wonder if Caroline Quentin's got her name on the waiting list yet?”
by Big_Ger
Thursday, August 30 2012, 8:40PM
“I beg to differ 4becks, people come to Cornwall for all sorts of reasons. Some come for the beaches, some come for the scenery, some come for rave ups, some come for the food, some come for the history, some come for a bit of luxury, some come to get away from it all, some come for the night-life.
Each person will come for whatever they find that attracts them here.”
by Big_Ger
Thursday, August 30 2012, 8:39PM
“I beg to differ 4becks, people come to Cornwall for all sorts of reasons. Some come for the beaches, some come for the scenery, some come for rave ups, some come for the food, some come for the history, some come for a bit of luxury, some come to get away from it all, some come for the night-life.
Each person will come for whatever they find that attracts them here.”
by Doitdreckley
Thursday, August 30 2012, 7:56PM
“Inappropriate development.”
by 4becks
Thursday, August 30 2012, 12:37PM
“people come to cornwall for the beaches and countryside NOT the leisure and spa facilities!!”