Campaigners will dress as flies and drag a giant poo along the seafront to the site of a controversial development in Penzance on Bank Holiday Monday (August 31). The procession from Newlyn Green along the Penzance promenade is described as a "random act of art" and a "theatrical protest" against changes to the affordable homes element of a proposal by Treveth, Cornwall Council's development company.
The seafront development on Coinagehall Street in Penzance was granted planning permission in May 2024 for 36 dwellings and seven mixed-use commercial units, among other elements, despite local objections. The derelict land, where previous buildings including PZ Gallery have been partially demolished, would be transformed with 11 affordable homes among the properties, a factor in the initial permission being granted.
Treveth submitted a further planning application in July seeking to amend the original proposal, saying that building the affordable homes now makes the project unviable. The company says the only option is to remove the affordable housing element and the Section 106 contributions, and that "time is of the essence" regarding the decision.
To see all the planning applications, traffic diversions, road layout changes, alcohol license applications and more in your area, visit the Public Notice Portal HERE.
Tim Mulholland, managing director of Treveth, issued a statement to reassure the community. He said there is no change in the company's commitment to the scheme or to providing affordable homes, just that it must change how it does this. He said: "We want to reassure the local community that this planning application does not represent a change in our commitment to delivering the Coinagehall Street scheme. Rather, it has been submitted to ensure the development can move forward this year, subject to planning approval. This application relates to a proposed change in how the affordable homes would be delivered. Rather than being secured through the Section 106 agreement, the proposal is for the affordable homes to be provided through an application to Homes England Social and Affordable Housing Programme. The planning application is the only mechanism available to demonstrate the scheme's viability and enable an application to Homes England for funding. This is not a situation unique to Coinagehall Street – similar challenges are affecting housing developments across Cornwall and the wider UK."
Despite his comments, concern is growing about the changes and the lack of construction at the site on Penzance seafront, near St Anthony's Gardens. That is why the protest is planned for Monday.
The organisers explained: "The protest is over what can be built on the site above St Antony's Garden where Treveth, a company 99 per cent owned by Cornwall Council, have spent £3.6 million on making the garden step free. The second phase of the proposed development promised 11 affordable homes alongside market value ones, but then went back on that promise … though retaining the premium penthouses."
They added that "a lot of local resistance and campaigning has already been worked on … so we decided that it's time to do something different – a theatrical and spectacular happening to bring more attention to this mess".
The organisers want people to join by dressing as flies (paper plates with elastic and black clothes) to drag "a huge s**t all along the green and the prom, and delivering it to the Treveth site. This is a gift from the flies to Treveth and the council … the flies are delighted and happy with the s**t job they are doing".
The protest will be filmed for a documentary, with the organisers adding that the event "will be funny and fun and maybe apart from being a great spectacle will achieve something the town needs – affordable homes, a beautiful empty space or anything else you can imagine which isn't posh penthouse apartments locals can't afford. This is valuable prime seafront land so we need to really hold fast."
People interested in taking part in the event, which starts at 11am at Newlyn Green, and learning a specially-written song for the occasion, are asked to email [email protected].
To see all the planning applications, traffic diversions, road layout changes, alcohol license applications and more in your area, visit the Public Notice Portal HERE.
Protesters in Fly Costumes to Drag Giant Poo Along Penzance Seafront