AROUND 100 protesters took to the streets and roads around Losthwithiel recently over plans by Eden Project founder Tim Smit for his Gillyflower Farm on the site of the former Lostwithiel Golf Course.

Sir Tim, along with his son Alex, purchased the former golf course in 2016 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. They renamed the site Gillyflower Farm after an apple variety which was discovered in a cottage garden near Truro in around 1813.

In January of this year they submitted a planning application to Cornwall Council for the building of 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 and the plans are for 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. The 20 “drums” would be accommodation in which visitors can stay. the house for the owner/manager would be at the other end of the site.

The statement explained that “their ambition for Gillyflower Farm is to grow… rare European vegetables and allow the public to taste them, via a new cookery school and tasting kitchen. To achieve the aims and objectives of this project, there is a need to provide a new facility that is purpose made and suitable to cater for the needs of the teaching and training of the would-be horticulturalists, amateur gardeners and horticultural students.”

The statement explains that the golf course has been “painstakingly resculpted and renewed” to create a nine-hole course available to locals and visitors.

However, the protesters say that “Lostwithel Town Council unanimously voted to oppose the application, citing no less than 38 planning policies where this application did not comply with the National Planning Policy Framework, Cornwall’s Local Plan and Lostwithiel’s own Neighbourhood Development Plan. It highlighted that, should it proceed, it had the potential to have ‘an adverse impact on the vitality and viability of Lostwithiel Town centre’ and that ‘some existing businesses will find themselves in direct competition for trade’”.

The campaigners also say that the proposed site entrance is on a “double-blind bend” and that the development would lead to increased levels of traffic and a safety hazard along a single-track lane leading to the Duke of Cornwall’s Duchy Nursery Cafe, a road that is already at maximum capacity and is a popular route with local walkers and cyclists.

In addition, the protesters say that heritage body Historic England (HE) has raised concerns about the development’s likely impact on the setting of the Norman Restormel Castle and a valley containing a 1644 English Civil War battle site.

The documents available with the planning application show that HE not only had concerns about the setting of Restormel Castle but also the historic parkland of the National Trust’s Lanhydrock grounds. However, HE in its recommendations stated that “it should possible to resolve our concerns… through further constructive negotiation to secure design or mitigation measures that would avoid or minimise any harm identified”.

Nevertheless, in a press statement protester and local resident Tony Barrass said: “Enough is enough. It’s high time Cornwall Council stopped permitting the wanton destruction of Cornwall’s heritage landscape and prioritised the local community above the needs of rich visitors and property developers”.

The planning application can be viewed on the Cornwall Council planning portal at ref PA21/00038.