Porthtowan

Interesting one at Planning last night. Someone has already got permission to build three houses on the beach at Porthtowan, subject to a condition that a slope condition survey be carried out. I don't know how they got permission in the first place, but now we're just dealing with a condition preventing them building, until everyone is happy that they won't undermine the slope above the development, which could lead to the slope collapsing and bringing the houses above it down. Basically everything is built on a mixture of sand and shale, what somebody called mobile and slightly less mobile material. Despite four expert opinions, one of which Carrick paid for, saying that it was almost certainly safe, Councillors couldn't quite see it and rejected the application. No doubt it will go to appeal.