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A major environmental and conservation organisation is opposing plans
to turn Penlee Quarry into a marina which, it claims, would have a "devastating"
short-term and long-term impact on our natural heritage.
The Cornwall Wildlife Trust, which says it is "standing up for the
protection of Penlee Quarry", is deeply concerned by proposals for
the creation of a marina and hotel at the site - one of Cornwall's most
important wildlife and geological havens -and says the local community
should reclaim ownership through the establishment of a local nature reserve.
The quarry is located to the west of Penzance and adjacent to the coastal
path between Mousehole and Newlyn.
Penlee Quarry was owned for a number of years by mining companies to
extract aggregates such as greenstone rock for road construction.
It has also been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
for its geological importance at a national level by English Nature (the
Government advisers on nature conservation).
The quarry has been abandoned for a number of years and, like a number
of other quarries that have been abandoned to nature in Cornwall, this
has led to a wide variety of wildlife becoming established.
Richard Marsh, assistant conservation manager for Cornwall Wildlife Trust,
says: "This quarry is not only nationally important for its geological
interest, but it also has a very high value for wildlife. This wildlife
value has developed over a number of years in response to previous industrial
activities and such places have unique assemblages and plants and animals
that cannot be replaced."
The Cornwall Wildlife Trust is actively involved in providing advice
on planning applications that may affect wildlife across the country.
Mr Marsh claimed: "Cornwall Wildlife Trust is not simply opposed
to any development in Cornwall; instead we fully support the right kind
of development in the right location, and this includes tourism. But the
proposals that have been appearing in the press recently will have a devastating
short-term and long-term impact on our natural heritage in this location.
This appears to be the wrong sort of development in the wrong location
and we will be ensuring that a full Environmental Impact Assessment is
carried out for any such development proposals."
The geological value of Penlee Quarry has been recognised through a number
of conditions imposed on any mineral extraction rights that require geological
surveys to be carried out alongside any extraction operations.
Also, conditions have been added that would ensure restoration of the
quarry to improve access to these geological features for the local community.
Mr Marsh concluded: "The future of Penlee Quarry should be based
around allowing the local community to reclaim ownership through the establishment
of a local nature reserve. The local residents are very interested in
the wildlife value that the quarry provides and would welcome the opportunity
to become more actively involved in how it is managed."
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