A major project to improve the coastal resilience in Mounts Bay has been completed, with a 350 metre length of the coast at Long Rock now open for the general public. Over 12,500 tonnes of locally sourced rock has been used to protect the most vulnerable section of this coast from eroding and being breached during storm conditions, flooding the railway and the area behind it. 

The works are part of a wider £3.7 million strategic project to improve coastal resilience in Mount’s Bay and will also include environmental improvements to Marazion Marsh. The works are being wholly funded by grants from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Environment Agency Flood Defence Grant-in-Aid (FDGiA).

Portfolio Holder for Environment and Public Protection at Cornwall Council, Rob Nolan, said:  “The work which has been done here is an important element of protecting this particular stretch of coastline, along with businesses and homes behind it. The construction which has been done also creates a better public space, with improvements for the users of the coast path and cycleway, who will now be able to stop and admire this stunning view.”

The project reduces the level of flood risk to the community of Long Rock as the impacts of climate change, storm surges and sea level rise increase. 

The coast defence scheme:

• Provides increased coastal protection to the Great Western Railway mainline and A30 serving strategic transport links in and out of Penzance and access to the Isles of Scilly.
• Protects domestic and commercial assets and infrastructure including 295 residential properties and 65 commercial properties.
• Creates better conditions for sustained economic growth by reducing obstacles to local investment, complementing new development and allowing greater connection with customers.

Councillor Simon Elliott said: “I welcome this coastal defence work and have given it my full support since the plans were first released. It has been clear from the storms over the last few years that this area is particularly vulnerable and the rock armour represents the best solution in the short term to protecting the businesses and community of Long Rock.

“With the beautiful views across the bay that the coastal path provides, and the area being created by the defences, I was pleased to make £1,000 of my Community Chest fund available to provide picnic benches to hopefully create a great spot to stop and take in our wonderful environment.”

The development, along with creating a new sea defence and public amenity space; has also created two new ramps onto the beach, to allow for greater public access to the water.

Council Lead on Flooding and Coastal Change, Dr Dave Watkins, added:  “To maximise the environmental benefits of the works the rock armour has been placed further forward than is normal to allow the natural backshore dunes to grow in the shadow of the rock armour, reversing the current erosion. This was a necessary step to allow a margin of safety while we develop long term plans for the sustainability of this coast under pressure.”

Story posted 16 August 2019

EXCEEDING a 70mph speed limit has resulted in a £576 fine for a 34 year-old man.

Traffic queuing on main roads out of Devon and Cornwall during wash-out summer holiday washout exodus.

Eight-hectare project is architect's latest involvement at World Heritage Site.

Traffic is queueing on the A30 near Penzace this lunchtime, after a crash left the road partially blocked in both directions between Drift and Buryas Bridge.

This summer Cornwall is saying a polite but firm ‘no more rubbish excuses’ to the minority of people who litter in our beautiful Duchy and is inviting residents, tourists and visitors alike to help get the message across by going to www.cornwall.gov.uk/litterless.

Each year, Cornwall Council’s street cleaning contractor works round the clock to keep our roads, town centres and beaches tidy with more than 200 workers covering 40,000 miles annually – almost twice the distance around the world.

And over the last year, Cornwall’s community groups volunteered more than 48,066 hours of their time to picking up after litterbugs, according to data collated by Cornish Plastic Pollution Coalition and Clean Cornwall. If those volunteers were paid, at the very least it would cost Cornwall around £376,000-a-year.

During the busy holiday periods when visitors and residents are out and about more enjoying Cornwall’s coastal environment, the Council’s  contractor steps up its cleaning and bin emptying in anticipation of a rise in the volume of rubbish, recycling and litter.

Visit Cornwall figures suggest that the Duchy hosts 40 million day trips a year. Twenty-two million of those trips are made by visitors who stay overnight in Cornwall, while 19 million are made by locals and visitors who live in - or close enough to - Cornwall to enjoy a day out here before returning home for the night.

Across the peak season Cornwall sees a 45% rise in the amount of rubbish and litter created during the spring and summer seasons. Litter is a risk to human health, as well as the health of Cornwall’s wildlife and environment. Barbeques left in the sand can cause burns and other injuries, while plastic litter in particular poses a choking threat to birds and sea life.

The Council has teamed up with Visit Cornwall, Clean Cornwall and Cornish Plastic Pollution Coalition as part of its #LitterlessCornwall campaign to issue a reminder to residents and visitors alike: no more rubbish excuses - leave only your footprints and take your litter with you if the bins are full.

The campaign asks the majority of people who don’t litter to sign a ‘#LitterlessCornwall’ pledge so that the Council can prove to litterlouts that there really is no excuse for rubbish behaviour.

Cllr Rob Nolan, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Public Protection, said: “Litter is a blight on Cornwall but it’s not something the Council can tackle alone and we are grateful to Cornwall’s voluntary groups who do so much. But they shouldn’t have to.

“Responsibility for not dropping litter and making sure it ends up in a bin lies with each of us as individuals. If you can’t find a bin please take your rubbish away with you and dispose of it at home.  It’s that simple.

 “Our contractor clears litter wherever and whenever it can, but it shouldn’t be dropped in the first place.

“Unfortunately a minority of people still haven’t got the message that littering is unacceptable. “What we say to their carelessness is ‘no more rubbish excuses’.

“This summer make sure your rubbish goes in a bin and leave only your footprints.”

Posted on 14 August

These charming former stations and carriages have been turned into accommodation with plenty of tales to tell – and views to enjoy.

The number of car journeys at Berrycoombe Primary School in Bodmin dropped by 80% to mark Clean Air Day in June.  The figures from Sustrans, the Sustainable Transport charity, show that more than 58 families left the car at home and walked, cycled or scooted to school instead.

Studies have shown that air pollution concentrates around the areas where it is formed; so places that have lots of traffic can have higher levels of pollution.

Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Rob Nolan, said: “It’s fantastic to see this kind of data, which demonstrates the commitment of the school staff, the children and the parents at the school.  Leaving the car at home, or if you have to drive, going the last few hundred yards or so on foot can make a huge difference to the air quality at the school gate and I hope that other schools could be inspired to follow in their footsteps.”

Other feedback from the event showed that 98% of the parents and residents questioned would like to see the event repeated and that 78% were worried or very worried about the health impacts of car exhaust fumes at school drop-off and pick-up times. 

During the event cycling levels have increased by 40%, scooting levels have increased by 53% and ‘Park & Stride’ levels have doubled.

Cllr Nolan continued: “We know that car exhaust fumes are a major contributor to air pollution and it’s great to see schools like Berrycoombe taking the initiative and working with Sustrans to improve the quality of the air the pupils are breathing.  Changes like this can make a big difference to the quality of our air and to our children’s health.”

It’s predicted that up to 36,000 deaths each year in the UK are caused by air pollution. The World Health Organisation (WHO) sets maximum limits for air pollution, these limits look at daily and annual averages. Almost 2,000 locations in the UK are above these limits and there are places in the UK where the air pollution is three times as high as the WHO limits.

James Cleeton, Sustrans Director for the South said: “The children, families and staff at Berrycoombe Primary School have shown how we can dramatically improve the school neighbourhood, by replacing cars with human power and by opening school streets for people.

“As so many of us witnessed on the day of the school street closure there was a surprising sense of calm to the start of the day which is in complete contrast to what can normally be expected as cars back up and children dodge car doors to get through the school gate.

“By choosing to restrict vehicles and open their school street for people the school didn’t just reduce congestion in their neighbourhood and prevent the emission of dangerous, invisible pollutants around their schools, but also gave pupils and staff a better start to the school day.” 

Cornish rugby pair Jack Nowell and Luke Cowan-Dickie have been named in the England squad for next month's Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Emergency services are currently attending an address in Penzance and will be there until 9.30pm tonight. Firefighters from Penzance, Hayle and St Just fire ...

Emergency services are currently attending an address in Penzance and will be there until 9.30pm tonight. Firefighters from Penzance, Hayle and St Just fire ...

Emergency services are currently attending an address in Penzance and will be there until 9.30pm tonight. Firefighters from Penzance, Hayle and St Just fire ...

Emergency services are currently attending an address in Penzance and will be there until 9.30pm tonight. Firefighters from Penzance, Hayle and St Just fire ...

Some of Cornwall’s finest produce will be showcased at a special event on Lemon Quay in Truro this week.  The first ever Made in Cornwall Summer Fair will build on the success of the Easter and Christmas events and will feature some of Cornwall’s best produce from Wednesday 14 until Saturday 17 August.

Over 40 local traders from across Cornwall will be selling their goods from Cornish glass to jewellery, crafts, handmade accessories and specialty food and drink, all of which have been assessed by Cornwall Council’s Trading Standards Officers as being genuinely Cornish.

Jane Tomlinson, Trading Standards Manager for Cornwall Council, said: “We’re really looking forward to staging our first ever Made in Cornwall Summer Fair; this will be a real showcase of some of the best products made right here in the duchy.”

The Made in Cornwall logo was established 28 years ago in response to a call from businesses for recognition of genuine Cornish products. It now boasts around 230 members and is the largest regional origin scheme in the UK, reflecting the public’s love of genuine Cornish goods.

The rigorous scheme ensures that only authentic Cornish products are approved and can show the MIC logo.

Made in Cornwall members benefit from:

• Use of the distinctive engine house logo on their approved products, stationery, websites and social media profiles;
• Certificate of membership guaranteeing authenticity of products;
• Opportunities to attend fairs and events;
• Newsletter keeping members up to date with changes in legislation, codes of practice and other useful information;
• Entry into the online Cornish Lines Directory of Members;
• Networking opportunities with other members;
• Increased reputational benefit showing that they are responsible businesses working in partnership with Cornwall Council Trading Standards Service 

Jane continued:  “We all know that Cornwall is a special place and has a distinct culture that is different from any other part of the UK, a rich creative heritage and outstanding natural beauty. Cornwall’s reputation for the production of quality creative goods is deep-rooted and certainly worth protecting.

“We are proud to be home to a vibrant business community many of who produce artistic and hand crafted items, speciality food and drink and highly specialist technical products which are all inspired by Cornwall’s unique environment and culture – this event will celebrate all of this.”

Any business wishing to join the scheme is assessed by a Trading Standards Officer to ensure that they, and their products, meet the minimum criteria. Not only is it vital that the goods are actually made in Cornwall, emphasis is placed on sourcing materials or ingredients from other Cornish businesses.

The goods must also comply with all relevant UK and EU legislation and undergo sufficient processes involving a certain level of creativity or professional skill.

 Jane concluded: “Come along and see just what Cornwall has to offer and pick up a gift or two which is truly unique.”

The Made in Cornwall Summer Fair will be held on Truro's Lemon Quay, from 14 to 17 August 9am - 5pm.

People in Cornwall are being encouraged to talk more about their feelings to support good mental health with the help of a photography exhibition that has just launched in Newquay, Cornwall.

This is a joint project between photographer Jon Mackenzie and Cornwall Council, Wavelength and the male suicide prevention charity CALM, who want to use the powerful stories and images of others to enable people to explore their own mental health and open up to others about their feelings. In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly approximately 80 people each year take their own lives, and there is a high proportion number which are middle aged men.

The exhibition features some well-known community heroes who have been captured beautifully by photographer Jon Mackenzie. The subjects chosen represent the fact that the proportion of suicides amongst men and women are 75% male and 25% female, which is in line with the national average.

In a series of interactive installations in the Newquay Harbour area, the photos of the subjects, alongside their stories aim to trigger emotions and conversations from those who see them.

Interim Director of Wellbeing and Public Health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Steve Brown said: “In Cornwall we have higher suicide rates than the national average. This could be due to a number of factors, including higher numbers among people in certain trades such as agricultural workers that can have high rates of stress. This could be avoided if they were able to talk to someone.

“In reality, almost every family or community will have been affected in some way at some time by suicide. It is often wrongly believed that nothing can be done but by bringing organisations and communities together, each person can potentially contribute to prevention or intervening to save a life. Learning how to talk about emotional health issues, making helplines and support easy to find, and ensuring that families and carers know how to recognise the signs could all make a difference."

Photographer and project lead Jon Mackenzie said: “I hope that when people see the exhibition and interact with the stories that it will make people feel more comfortable about talking about mental health.  Having had my own mental health problems I know how much easier things can become once you open up to someone.”

The exhibition will be in Newquay Harbour until 15th August and then it will move to other places in Cornwall, the next site confirmed is at Wheal Kitty, St Agnes on 16th August. Tickets are available for free via Eventbrite.

Alongside the exhibition, Jon Mackenzie will also be setting up a number of  Camera Clubs supported by CALM, similar in idea to the man shed projects, where men can turn up to discuss photography, take photos and have a chat if they wish.

If you have concerns about your mental health and wellbeing it is recommended that you first contact your GP to talk over your concerns. They will be able to direct you to the most appropriate support for your needs.

There are a variety of services available to support mental health conditions.  You can find out more about these on the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust website.

A new website has been launched which allows people to anonymously report the sale of illegal tobacco.

The website has been launched by Trading Standards South West and is intended to encourage public reporting of concerns and suspicions about illegal tobacco sales across the whole of the South West region.  

As well as offering people the chance to report illegal sales, the site also includes comprehensive information about the different types of illegal tobacco and the negative impact it has on society.

Many illegal cigarettes are unlikely to comply with safety standards and they will often not self-extinguish when not continually smoked, greatly increasing the fire safety risk at home. They are also likely to exceed the legally permitted carbon monoxide and tar levels (in some cases by up to 80%) while not containing the amount of nicotine stated on the pack.

Profits made from the sale of illegal tobacco, often fund other serious and organised crime such as modern slavery, people trafficking and drugs.

Cabinet Member for Environment and Public Protection, Councillor Rob Nolan, said: “It is important that members of the public know how and where they can report information about illegal tobacco. It is also important that they understand the true extent of the damage illegal tobacco has on society.

“Here in Cornwall, and across the rest of the South West region, we receive information regarding the sale and supply of illegal tobacco from a variety of sources.  One of the most important and valuable comes from members of the public, who may hold key information, crucial to an investigation.”

In addition to its connection to organised criminal groups, illegal tobacco is available at pocket money prices, sold to children and often fails other vital safety standards.

To find out more information, please visit the Trading Standards South West website.

Coastguards, lifeboats and helicopters were scrambled.