A row over plans to build a giant seaweed farm on one of Britain’s most famous coastlines has left locals fearing it will ruin holidays and harm tourism
A proposal to build two 50 hectare sites – equivalent to 180 football pitches – near Port Isaac on the North Cornish coast were met with anger when they were first introduced last year.
The region heavily relies on tourism and attracts 500,000 visitors per day during the peak summer months.
The hit series Doc Martin helped cement the area’s stellar reputation with locals jokingly labelling the miles of unspoiled coastline that made up the show’s backdrop as ‘Martin Clunes’s glamorous co-star’.
Clunes himself has previously spoken out against the proposal, describing it as ’a hideous plan, in a beautiful and special area’.
He added: ‘It was waved through without consultation or proper assessment of its environmental impact. It’s nothing short of criminal.’
Andrew Lincoln, star of The Walking Dead and Love Actually, who surfs locally has also criticised the plan, saying: ‘I’m amazed that an idea as dreadful as this has made [it] far enough to make any protest necessary.
A proposal to build two 50 hectare sites – equivalent to 180 football pitches – near Port Isaac on the North Cornish coast were met with anger when they were first introduced last year
The hit series Doc Martin helped cement the area’s stellar reputation with locals jokingly labelling the miles of unspoiled coastline that made up the show’s backdrop as ‘ Martin Clunes ’s glamorous co-star’
Pictured: Proposals of the seaweed farms off the Cornish coastline of Port Quin
Andrew Lincoln, star of The Walking Dead and Love Actually, who surfs locally has also criticised the plan
‘It’s disguised as some sort of environmental favour to the area and a source of local employment. I’m under no illusion.’
But the opposition runs far deeper than the headline-grabbing celebrity endorsements – and with the vital tourism season around the corner many locals told MailOnline this week they fear they will be left counting the cost.
Mark Graham, who has run shop North Coast Wetsuits for 21 years, said the proposed farm has caused major worry for local businesses.
He said: ‘It’s obviously concerning for me on a personal level, I have lived near this stretch of coastline for a long time.
‘Doc Martin brought a whole new generation of people to this bay but without the natural beauty, what are they coming for?
‘I think some businesses will be worried about going under, things like accommodation rely on walkers and ramblers and if they don’t come they can’t survive.
‘People come to visit this because of the natural beauty and the application would take away from that. ‘Anybody who has a marine or tourism business is concerned because a lot of people come and stay here to see the beautiful bay. They don’t want to see an industrial seaweed farm.’
Barnaby Kay (pictured) said that he only learned of the Port Quin application seven months after it was submitted and has led the campaign against the proposals.
Mark Graham, who has run North Coast Wetsuits for 21 years, said the proposed farm has caused major worry for local businesses
Joint applicants Biome Algae and Camel Fish have faced heavy criticism from locals with, of the more than 700 comments on the application, 95 per cent opposing their proposal
Joint aapplicants Biome Algae and Camel Fish have faced heavy criticism from locals with, of the more than 700 comments on the application, 95 per cent opposing their proposal.
They argue that seaweed farming is a sustainable industry that would provide local benefits including out-of-season jobs and education opportunities
But, it would also involve laying almost 3,000 concrete blocks to anchor the farm to the seabed with 358.22 miles of plastic rope and 2,304 buoys, according to the application.
Last week, Biome chose to withdraw its application after previously dropping a similar bid on Cornwall’s south coast.
While Camel Fish remains active, many residents say they feel let down by the Marine Management Organisation’s (MMO) failure to properly scrutinise applications.
A seaweed farm was recently approved nearby with few people allegedly having any idea it had been submitted.
Mr Graham, whose shop overlooks the bay, added: ‘I’m worried the MMO doesn’t have the right skills to deal with this application.
The picturesque region heavily relies on tourism and attracts 500,000 visitors per day during the peak summer months
While Camel Fish remains active, many residents say they feel let down by the Marine Management Organisation’s (MMO) failure to properly scrutinise applications
‘A naval architect told me it wouldn’t last one big storm without breaking up and if the miles of plastic rope ended up on the beach it would have a massive impact on tourism.’
Another local resident Barnaby Kay said that he only learned of the Port Quin application seven months after it was submitted and has led the campaign against the proposals.
He added: ‘My mum was brought up in Port Quin and her house is still there, my heart is in this area. The local environment is what makes it so exceptional but our ability to enjoy the bay swimming and fishing would be restricted by these farms.
‘Tourism is massively important to this area – it is the biggest business here and it’s success is absolutely vital.
‘This is an absolutely iconic stretch of coastline, it is famous, if you turn on any digital channel it will be showing Doc Martin and within that episode there will be shots of this bay.
‘Tourist businesses would be severely affected by this – there is no doubt local businesses will be affected because people will go to Rock or somewhere they have more freedom because here people will be restricted to what they can do in the water.
‘The vision impact will have a huge effect. There are a hell of a lot of holiday lets here, it might be that people connect Port Quin with the seaweed business and don’t book here.’
Mark Graham (pictured) said that tourists ‘don’t want to see an industrial seaweed farm’
The location has been described as an ‘iconic piece of coastline’
Mr Kay declared that he is not aware of any locals who support the proposal and the strength of feeling around the bay has inspired him to create the Two Bays Trust conservation and wellbeing charity.
He said: ‘It’s the complete polar opposite to the seaweed farm, we offer mental health and wellbeing in the coastal environment.
‘It is aimed nationwide but there are people within a mile of the coast who never go so what we want to do by reaching out to schools is bring those people here and show them what’s on offer.’
Avril Greenway, local resident and MD of the Cleaner Seas Project, believes that environmental concerns arising from the project would also have an impact on tourism.
She said: ‘Everything is intrinsically linked to plastic pollution, hospitality in Cornwall is down to the seas and beaches being beautiful. That’s why people come here.
‘We all support seaweed farming done right but if there is any carbon sequestered it would be offset by the extra miles it takes to drive here.’
Mark Harrison, a retired finance consultant, who lives in nearby Lundy Bay said: ‘This community is made up of a lot of different people from lifelong locals to people who’ve come on holiday to those who’ve retired here and this is the most unifying thing.
In a previous joint statement, both Biome Algae and Camel Fish said: ‘As responsible operators we have and will provide regulatory bodies with a range of reports that assess plans in relation to the environment’
Avril Greenway, local resident and MD of the Cleaner Seas Project (pictured) believes that environmental concerns arising from the project would also have an impact on tourism
‘It’s difficult to find anybody who thinks it’s a good thing for the area. ‘I don’t think Biome have listened to residents’ concerns at all. I went to their presentation which was so poor – I don’t think it mentioned Port Quin once, it was school stuff.
‘It’s clear from the documentation they haven’t tried to address any of the issues.
‘These people switched from doing it on the south coast to here.’
In a previous joint statement, both Biome Algae and Camel Fish said: ‘As responsible operators we have and will provide regulatory bodies with a range of reports that assess plans in relation to the environment’.
‘Both Biome and Camel Fish’s intentions are not to harm the marine environment. We will add positively to the local economy, provide career opportunities and support education.
‘It has been demonstrated that sustainable seaweed farming helps restore our marine environments. The seaweed itself has great potential to address a number of pressing planetary issues.’
MailOnline contacted Biome Algae for comment on its withdrawal of the application.
