Fears have been expressed about the potential disruption the proposed marina development at Penlee Quarry will cause to residents of Mousehole and Newlyn.

A planning application for the Newlyn scheme, which will incorporate a five-star hotel, 200 residential properties and marina for 200 yachts, is expected to be lodged by the end of the year.

However, John Dancey, a Mousehole resident, said that while some of the concerns expressed by those who are opposed to the marina could be construed as "irrational", the matter of access remains a "concrete argument".

Mr Dancey said: "The judgement as to whether we want yachties about the place is one in which people have a difference of opinion. The worry about this lift bridge and how it will affect our day-to-day lives is the main anxiety of Mousehole."

Edward Iliffe, the managing director of Marina Developments Ltd, which is the company behind the project, said the challenge was to make sure the bridge caused as little disruption as possible.

"The bridge we wish to use is called a Bascule bridge, which will hang 12 metres above the sea level," he said.

"It will be much faster than the Ross Bridge in Penzance and it will only be open three or four times a day."

A Bascule bridge is a drawbridge with a counterweight; the upward swing provides clearance for boat traffic.

Probably the most famous Bascule bridge is Tower Bridge across the Thames in London.

Some 10 are in use in the UK, one of which is in operation at Weymouth Harbour. Ian Gale, a berthing office at the 850 berth Weymouth harbour, said the Bascule bridge could be up and down within six minutes.

However, he said that 20-minute delays were common during peak season when 40 vessels could be coming in and out at one time.

"Once you put a bridge in a boat has the right of way but we have a local agreement that enables us to lift the bridge every two hours," he said.

"Emergency services know when the bridge will be lifted and they take an alternative route."

Edward Iliffe said he was confident a system could be in place that would allow the emergency services, or a private person, to cancel the bridge in an emergency.

"I am confident that there will be a way of doing this," he said.

In response to other concerns relating to traffic increases, which have been expressed via letters to The Cornishman, Mr Illife said two traffic assessments, which were done last August and September, had determined the road suitable.

"The advantage we have been given is that the traffic consultants believe the road system is adequate.

"The problem we have got is people do not believe that," he said, adding that there was a number of things that could be done to improve the situation without doing anything drastic. "Like changing the positions of the bus stops," he said.

"One of the things we are in discussions about is a park and ride system. We're in discussion with Penwith District Council about a whole raft of what we can do to improve the situation.

"In some ways this is slightly pre- empting the debate," he said. "We are all aware there's an issue but what we do not have at this stage is a proposal."

article copyright THE CORNISHMAN