PORTHCURNO RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION
Coastal Community Team
What is the CCT?
The Porthcurno Coastal Community Team is an Enterprise Partnership bringing together a wide range of partners, focussed on maximising the economic potential of world renowned cultural and heritage assets, set in the rich landscape of far West Cornwall, with the the cliffs and coastline around Porthcurno, officially designated ‘Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty’.
The key priorities for the Porthcurno Coastal Community Team are to:
-
Focus on maximising the potential and opportunities that the valleys world- renowned cultural and heritage assets can bring to the community, in social, economic and environmental terms
-
Protect and maintain the natural environment currently acknowledged as a Designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in far west Cornwall
-
Address some of the key challenges such as seasonality, transport, traffic management and facility infrastructure for visitors and residents
The Coastal Community Team aims to balance the expansion of the local opportunity throughout the year, with the need to preserve those qualities which make the valley such a special place to live work and visit. Through initial Coastal Revival Fund investment, the development of a Landscape and Infrastructure Plan will support the first stage improvement of key heritage and community buildings, trails, public areas and facilities.
A briefing note was provided to residents in 2015 that you can read here.
Who is the CCT?
​
The Porthcurno CCT comprises representatives from the PKRA, Parish Council, the Telegraph Museum, Minack Theatre, National Trust, local businesses and Cornwall Council.
​
Progress so far
​
A lot has been happening since Porthcurno was selected to be a Coastal Communities Team (press release here) and received grants totally £60,000.
​
The Economic Plan (a requirement of the £50k grant) was submitted in January 2016. You can read this here (opens as a PDF file in a new window).
​
Following this, grants were given by the CCT as below:
​
-
£5,000 to the National Trust to improve the steps to Porthcurno beach
-
£10,000 to enable the Museum to carry out much needed work to the only listed building in Porthcurno, the Cable Station Hut near the beach
-
£10,000 to the St Levan Parish Council to enable the Porthcurno public toilets to remain open and be redecorated.
​​
Most recently, in summer 2019, we finally got new yellow lines in the Valley to extend parking restrictions. We continue to campaign for these to be further extended up to the junction with the B3315 at Trethewey. A feasability study has also been carried out into a park and ride scheme.
Minutes of CCT meetings are available to residents on request.
Background info
Two consultants were appointed in 2016, one to undertake the research needed for the development of a Landscape and Infrastructure plan, and another to undertake research into developing "Passport to Porthcurno", aimed specifically at improving and marketing the visitor experience.
​
Finidngs were presented to residents in Oct 2016 from the consultants engaged on the Landscape and Infrastructure Plan work. The one from CEC about the development of a Landscape and Infrastructure plan can be seen here, and the Traffic and Transport Appraisal is here (both open as PDFs).
​
Residents were invited to give their comments prior to the final report being produced, and at our meeting on 9 February 2017 residents discussed, and made recommendations about, the action plan that has since been drawn up and is being implemented.
​
All our meetings, and the residents' survey (see below) carried out in 2015, have generated, and still generate, lots of debate and plenty of ideas for improvement. Residents are generally supportive of the CCT, the projects identified, and progress to date, but we are equally passionate that these are not at the expense of the special nature of where we live, and that the majority of residents' views are reflected by the highest priority being given to to solving some of our traffic problems.
PKRA Survey results
The word cloud above summarises the main issues from a residents' survey in 2015 (the higher the number of times a word was mentioned, the bigger the word). In summary, the three main themes identified were:
-
traffic (especially pedestrian safety)
-
community
-
the need for a joined-up approach by all.