It leaves a gap in our ranks which another member might like fo fill. Please call me if so.

In planning matters, like London buses, troubles come in bunches and so we had two vexatious Planning problems about the same time around Easter.

GWEEK BOATYARD

After another three years, the Planning Inspector got round to having an Inquiry into the Appeal by the Yard against the Enforcement Order to remove its unauthorised extension some ten years ago. Expecting to last three days, it went on for six, starting at Helston and ending in Scorrier in April (???). My view can be summarised as supporting the existence and importance of the boatyard to the River but against the flouting of Regulations when expanding its area some ten years ago. The Appeal decision has just been received as I write.The Appeal fails except for a minor exception, the claim for costs is rejected and the deemed Planning Application refused .

HELFORD QUAY and ACCESS ROAD.

Eight years have passed since this was proposed, followed by extreme dissension within our Association as to its worth to the River. We had an Extraordinary General Meeting, which showed a two-thirds approval but some vehement opposition. The then Council Approved the Planning Application, which was quashed by a Judicial Review on one point out of the eight Appealed against. It now appears that point – whether the Natural England condition not to use the beach approach by the Fishermen could be enforced – has been resolved and Cornwall Council are reconsidering the Planning Application.

Otherwise in Helford, the Application to convert the Shipwright’s Arms into a a private dwelling is still, after a year, pending by the Council.

ANNA MARIA CREEK

After 5 years of continuous proactive pressure by this Association we have succeeded in getting the Council’s Enforcement Team to take effective action against attempts to establish illicit residential use of boats on the foreshore. An Enforcement Notice was issued and served in April covering Anna Maria creek. This then came into force as an Enforcement Order on 21st June 2010 from which date it has become an offence for any person to use a boat at this designated location for residential use. Again with the assistance and encouragement of this Association the Counci’s Enforcement Team are now pursuing compliance.

Once compliance has been effected the Association intends to lobby the Cornwall AONB Unit to make Anna Maria creek a special case study area so that official steps can be taken in accordance with the AONB Management Plan to remove much of the rubbish and detritus which has accumulated particularly during the period of resisdential occupation.

At GILLAN, an Appeal against Refusal to expand a creekside house called Spinneywood was dismissed – in doing so the Inspector rejected the views of the Council’s Planning Officers who had recommended Approval vindicating instead the views of the Councillors in refusing permission against the officers advice, showing there can be success in containing undesirable development.

The Council has held as Conference for Parish Councils to consider how to make more effective local opinion, with an experiments at Feock and Camborne respectfully with Local Development Orders and Pre-Application procedures. As a Consultant by the Council for Helford River matters, we need to work more closely with local Parish Councils as a consequence. But this all takes time by individuals who may have other interests.

We also need to work more closely with others like the CPRE and the Helford River Conservation Area and Group. An example of that is the note below.

The OYSTERAGE obtained a Licence to lay metal cages near the entrance to the River, which we thought might obstruct navigation by boats under sail. It is for three years, so we wait to see if it does.

The Preserve Port Navas Quay website is worth visiting to see details about their concerns.

Robert Williams Chairman Tel 340382 or robert.williams200@virgin.net or Polwheveral Cottage Constantine FALMOUTH TR11 5RW

ADDENDUM

Helford Eelgrass Beds

The Helford eelgrass beds off Grebe Beach are well-known for their luxuriant growth and wealth of colourful animals and seaweeds amongst the waving green fronds. Some 30 years ago there were also extensive intertidal beds along Bar Beach, Calamansack, Treath and the Gillan inlet but sadly these have all disappeared. This makes the remaining beds even more special and well worth conserving and we hope that we may soon see the return of everyone’s favourite – the seahorse.

Although the shore between Durgan and Toll Point is a wonderful place for summer picnics the Helford Marine Conservation Group has tried hard to discourage boats from anchoring on top of the main beds where the eelgrass rhizomes and roots are so easily dislodged only to drift away to die.

This is all within the international designation of the Fal-Helford marine Special Area of Conservation and so, with the help of Natural England, the HMCG organised two, not too obtrusive, red warning buoys to indicate that boats should not anchor to the landward side of the buoys. Most reasonable people seemed to find this acceptable.

However we ran into a problem earlier this year and here is where you could help.

One of the buoys went missing and we should be very grateful if anyone knows if it has been picked up locally. For convenience it could be returned to Simon Walker or Nick Bailey, Helford Moorings, so that we can restore it without having to spend precious donations on a replacement.

Dr Pamela E Tompsett CBiol MSB Scientific AdviserHelford Marine Conservation Group

Tel. 01209 842316 E-mail: petomp@bioscope.demon.co.uk

www.helfordmarineconservation.co.uk

The new scene follows the establishment of the Unitary Cornwall Council in April and the replacement of Kerrier with a new organisation called West 2, whose Planners are the same officers, working in the same way as they did previously, but with a democratic deficit, insofar as the Officers are delegated to decide 90% of Applications without the need to inform the Public of their existence. Further, the Planning Committee of Councillors to decide the other ‘major’ items has been composed of twelve persons – six each from West 1 (aka Penwith District Council) and West 2 to deal with plans from Mawnan Smith to St. Just, which means a shortage of local knowledge.

WEBSITE:  Continuing thanks to Jeff Meadows, it can be visited at www.helfordriver.org. There are also other websites of the River, wellworth visiting for their views and information. In particular, that of www.Preserve Port Navas Quay has raised some adverse comments as to the readability and interest of our own site. It has made us consider what improvements can be made to put our position over to the world at large. Any that members can suggest are welcome. Charles Pugh (340630) is contact for this project.

Sadly, the OYSTERAGE at Port Navas continues to divide the inhabitants,and, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the quay is a major area of contention and the placing of production cages in the main River is another.The latter is the subject of a decision by the Marine Fisheries Agency. Conciliation seems the way forward in order that both sides can prosper. The refurbishment of the three seats on the quay, placed there in 1960 by the village and the positive help with the Regatta shows the Oysterage in a good light.

The CPRE has written to the Duchy about its part in maintaining the environment of the Helford but received a negative reply, which has become standard practice for them. The AONB unit of the Council also tends to concern itself with theory rather than practice, so has not been of much use to us.

For the improvement of ANNA MARIA CREEK, we have now got the Local Government Ombudsman to press the Cornwall Council to deal with the inaction of the previous Kerrier Council in the removal of unauthorised living. Since the same people are still dealing with the matter, we fear the outcome will not be speedily dealt with.

This Complaint is still supported by the Mawnan Parish Council.We are grateful to Stuart Powell (250481) for dealing with this seemingly intractable problem.

We continue to monitor PLANNING APPLICATIONS around the River. Few of major concern have arisen but we are pleased that a renewed Plan at Bosulla in Budock Vean Lane, previously refused on Appeal despite being approved by the Officers but objected to by us, has resulted in a scheme along the lines which we suggested.

A Plan to close the Shipwrights Arms at Helford has met strong objection and is still to be resolved. Conversly, the closure of the Ferry Boat Inn saw it reopened under new management by Ben Wright (with a distinct emphasis on oysters).

The Permission by the departed Kerrier for a Fishermen’s quay and access at Helford village was quashed by a Judicial review but allows Cornwall Council to renew the Application if the matter of Natural England’s permission can be resolved. This is under review.

The GWEEK BOATYARD Enforcement Order is still under Appeal but has to be resolved by the end of the year. We await action.

The RIVER WARDEN Service has started under the control of the Truro Harbour Board and we will have a sight of the log in the autumn.

Robert Williams Chairman Tel 340382 or robert.williams200@virgin.net or Polwheveral Cottage, Constantine, FALMOUTH TR11 5RW

Thanks to Jeff Meadows, the WEBSITE is now running and can be visited at www.helfordriver.org. There are also other websites of the River, well worth visiting for the views and information.  Charles Pugh (340630) is our lead for this project.

The threat of a MUSSEL farm in the entrance to the River has, as a consequence of protests, gone, perhaps to Porthallow, in Falmouth Bay.

Sadly, the OYSTERAGE at Port Navas continues to divide the inhabitants, and, in an Area of Outstanding Beauty (AONB), has a quay in some disarray, and trouble with metalwork in the main River. Conciliation seems the way forward in order that both sides can prosper.   Ben Wright posted a robust defence of the Oysterage position on the Port Navas website in the spring and has followed this with an update dated July 2008.

For the improvement of ANNA MARIA CREEK, we have now made a Formal Written Complaint to Kerrier on their inaction over the removal of unauthorised settlement, namely the ‘red bus’, to kick them into doing their duty.   This Complaint is not only supported by the Mawnan Parish Counci but the Council have co-signed the Complaint. We are grateful to Stuart Powell (250481) for dealing with this seemingly intractable problem.

We have also had a number of PLANNING APPLICATIONS by new owners to increase substantially their houses in Port Navas Creek, which is in an AONB. This has undesirable social effects if the owners are not resident and adversely deteriorates the natural environment, as the area becomes more built up.   Kerrier have supported our objections (in some degree), but with wealth against them, have faced Appeals or their threat, which could be costly if allowed. Principles can have their price which has to be paid sometimes. In the case of Tideway (PA07/00898/F), their Appeal has been allowed, but their costs have been denied ; interesting.

We have also used the new system of being allowed to speak directly (for a maximum of three minutes only) to the Planning Committee on Applications.   Though minimal, this does emphasize our concerns.

The current Marine Bill, some 600 pages long, has raised concern at obscurely placed provisions to allow Natural England to substantially increase access to the coast and inlets which might affect the Helford. This has been mentioned to our MPs.

Robert Williams Chairman

This year Kerrier is seeking to outsource the provision of this (and other ‘beach services’)  and has negotiated with the RNLI to carry out the functions of the Warden Service.    It is unclear at the start of summer exactly how this is to be undertaken, but the RNLI has agreed to provide a similar level of cover as has been provided by Kerrier Leisure Services.   The HRA is in contact with the RNLI and hopes to be kept informed as to what exact form the new delivery of the service will take.   As well as the general operation of the service the question of how – and indeed if – legal enforcement of the Statutory By-Laws (speed limits) can be carried out  by the RNLI is a matter of interest to the River community and remains a ‘grey area’.

As a matter of interest, the Helford is nearly unique among waterways in the UK in having no statutory body such as  port or harbour authority operating to regulate affairs on the River.

POSTSCRIPT DECEMBER 2008

As events turned out, the RNLI subcontracted the Warden service to the Falmouth Port Authority – who in turn re-employed the original Kerrier warden using the original Kerrier boat.  The service operated for only the latter part of the season.   The Harbourmaster has indicated that a fuller service is likely to be operated in 2009 under his auspices and the HRA is attempting to liaise to ensure that an effective Warden service does in fact operate.   However, there are doubts as to whether any more substantial enforcement of the by-laws can be expected other than by giving the warden a more visible and perhaps a rather  more official looking appearance.

After much further deliberation, the applicant has decided to relocate his proposal to a site outside the Helford (in Porthallow Bay).  The HRA having been involved in the early discussions and having received a number of expressions of concern, now no longer has any interest in the matter as it lies outside the terms of reference of the Association being beyond the river boundaries.