Plans by the co-founder of the Eden Project to build a new attraction in Lostwithiel have attracted some strong objections from locals.

Sir Tim Smit, with his son Alex, is looking to build an educational facility and attraction on the former Lostwithiel Golf Course.

Gillyflower Farm would have orchards, a distillery, microbrewery and 20 accommodation units, as well as a house for the owner/manager.

A planning application was submitted to Cornwall Council for the development last week. However it has attracted a number of objections from local people.

Jane Stanley said: “This proposed development is completely unnecessary and unwelcome Lostwithiel has orchards galore, loads of holiday accommodation, a regular farmers market, loads of cafes and restaurants and who needs a cookery school?

“It’s outside of the permitted and agreed neighbourhood plan for the town, would take business away from the town and cause major congestion on the access roads as well as parking mayhem.

“Mr Smit seems to think that by presenting it a something unique, a saviour, environmentally enriching and getting a five min slot on Rick Stein’s Cornwall will ensure its future.

“I’ve not met anyone who wants it, we want our town to flourish not an out of town tourist attraction that lines the pockets of its investors! Look, Mr Smit is a businessman but that does not mean he knows what’s best for us as a community. Plenty of room to expand Eden or Heligan or do it in Charlestown but please please not here!”The application at Gillyflower Farm is to build a “new centre for the teaching and learning of agronomy” along with an owner/manager’s house and 20 accommodation “drums”.Agronomy is the science and technology of using plants in agriculture for food, fuel and land restoration.Under the plans Gillyflower Farm will have a main building – The Hub – which will have facilities for lectures and learning along with a cafe/restaurant, exhibition spaces, market area and cookery school.There will also be 20 “drums” where visitors can stay and, at the opposite end of the site, a house for the owner/manager.A design and access statement submitted with the planning application explains that Sir Tim, along with his son Alex, purchased the former golf course in 2016.They bought the site with a view of turning two-thirds of it into “the greatest rare orchard in Europe”. To date 2,972 fruit trees have been planted and there are plans for 1,000 more.The site has been renamed Gillyflower Farm after an apple variety which was discovered in a cottage garden near Truro in around 1813.The statement explained: “Sir Tim and Alex have drawn on their experience and knowledge of working at The Lost Gardens of Heligan over the last 30 years (in protecting rare heritage varieties of fruits and vegetables that have disappeared from the popular food canon), and their ambition for Gillyflower Farm is to grow these rare European vegetables and allow the public to taste them, via a new cookery school and tasting kitchen.“Their objective is to cultivate a range of crops that can be grown by partner farmers and become a new range of economic crops that allows Lostwithiel to develop into a centre for the development of new food crops.

But one person who commented, Lynn Brampton, said: “One word. NO. This proposal is far too big for Lostwithiel, and would take away a lot of trade and create far too much traffic for this small town.

“The buildings are ugly and dominant and 20 holiday units and a four bedroom house for the owner, its obviously a very ambitious plan for Tim Smit on the scale of Eden and Heligan but it’s not in keeping at all with the neighbouring Estates of Duchy and Lanhydrock.

“It’s a giant leap from his original video proposal where he is speaking about orchards and rare cider apple trees and plants.”

Charlotte Dixon said: “I question the need for this development on the following grounds. The town of Lostwithiel is amply served by a distillery – Colwith Farm; farmers’ market – Community Centre; cafe/restaurant – in town as well as the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery. This development will be in direct competition to these and other businesses.

“Additional large house – I believe the owner has an existing property nearby and see no reason why his presence will be required 24/7 on the site.”

She added: “We have seen many beautiful towns and villages ruined by tourist developments in Cornwall. Lostwithiel is one of the few pretty towns which has so far evaded the curse of the tourist industry and kept its strong community. This is something the residents of Lostwithiel are proud of and have no wish to risk losing this by the introduction of an unnecessary development on our outskirts.”

The plans have also attracted strong debate on the Lost Voice Facebook group with more than 190 comments posted about the proposals.

While some give their support to the plans others are not convinced that they are appropriate for the town.

Jack Saundry said: “Looking at the plans I’m struggling to see how applying to build what looks more like a rich man’s holiday retreat outside the agreed neighbourhood development plan could be allowed.”

He adds: “Don’t we already have a farmer’s market in the town and wouldn’t the building of a restaurant and other facilities outside the town just serve to undermine and take trade from the struggling hospitality business in the town centre already?”