Cornwall Council stops Wave Project's beach school plans

The charity said it was told the building was refused because it would not be in keeping with the area

Plans for a beach school for children at risk of exclusion have been rejected by Cornwall Council.

The plans were put forward by surf therapy charity The Wave Project, which is based at Gwithian, near Hayle.

The charity said the building was refused because it would "not be in keeping with the area".

Cornwall Council said "due process was followed, and the decision reached was made in line with planning laws and guidance".

As a result the charity has now launched an appeal to find an alternative site for its new home, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Joe Taylor, founder of The Wave Project, claimed the only objections to the application had come from the parish council and "second home owners".

He was also critical of planning officers for not taking into account the aims of the school in making their decision.

Mr Taylor said the current plans had been altered in response to concerns raised about the visibility of the beachfront building and claimed that it would be barely visible.

He said: "We were pretty astonished that they turned it down on the grounds of visual impact on the area."

Mr Taylor said the new base would have helped to provide support for up to 600 children from all over Cornwall who could be at risk of school exclusion.

The beach school programme offered by The Wave Project had been found to be an effective way to get children to reintegrate into school and be able to learn, he said.

Cornwall Council said in a statement: "As with all planning applications dealt with by Cornwall Council, due process was followed, and the decision reached was made in line with planning laws and guidance."