Camelford local news
Slippy slidey icy road puts paid to today’s bus timetable
Bus passengers hoping to catch the 97 service between Camelford and Launceston should dress up warm - they might have a long wait. The road near Davidstow, on Bodmin...
Can local democracy stagger back to life in Tintagel?
By Julia Penhaligon Voters in Tintagel have until 4pm on Friday (2nd January) to submit nomination papers and trigger an election for a new parish council. The council elected...
Tintagel parish council in crisis, part 94 of a continuing series
By Lee Trewhela There appears to be another crisis at one of Cornwall’s most visited tourism towns. Residents of Tintagel are demanding the resignation of their parish council amid...
Councillors vote 6-4 to say “no” to hot rocks power station at North Cornwall beauty spot
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall’s planners have voted 6-4 to refuse permission for a controversial hot rocks power station at a beauty spot near Camelford. Objectors, supported by North Cornwall...
“Ben vs Tim” hot rocks power station planning contest returns for another round
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The battle of “King Arthur’s” hot rocks power station in North Cornwall returns to County Hall next week with planning officers again recommending approval of drilling...
Tim says Ben is about to join Reform and Ben says Tim is silly: two of Cornwall’s most-easily excitable politicians go toe-to-toe
By Lee Trewhela A war of words has broken out between a Cornwall Council cabinet member and a Liberal Democrat MP over plans for a geothermal “hot rocks” power...
Camelford: with its bypass plans finally consigned to history, council is now considering solutions for lorries rather than people
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Heavy lorries could be encouraged to use a B road to the west of Camelford, rather than try to drive through the town’s narrow main street....
Decision on “King Arthur’s” hot rocks power station deferred for more technical details
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Planners have put off a decision about a proposal to drill holes 2.8 miles deep into the countryside at Slaughterbridge, Camelford. Cornwall Council officials had recommended...
That’s the way the money goes: County Hall has wasted millions on Camelford bypass plans
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall Council has spent nearly £3 million on plans for a Camelford bypass in the past six years alone, according to a Freedom of Information answer....
Hot rocks energy project in North Cornwall threatens site of King Arthur’s last battle
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Plans to drill holes 2.8 miles deep into the countryside at Slaughterbridge, Camelford, have upset locals. Cornwall Council officials are recommending that the plans for a...
Game over for Camelford bypass
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The government has confirmed that it will not fund a bypass for Camelford. The news appears to draw a line under a 40-year talking point which...
Coming soon: the Blisland open-air sewage swamp, unless the new Liberal Democrat council boss changes policy set by previous Conservative administration
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Time is running out for the new Cornwall Council cabinet member for planning, Liberal Democrat Sarah Preece, to take a view about a controversial “cash for...
Cold Northcott wind farm to get huge new turbines
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall’s planners have voted 9-2 to approve a significant expansion of the 30-year-old wind farm at Cold Northcott on Bodmin Moor. The outcome is significant as...
Urgent correction: Chris Batters is not chairman of Cornwall’s strategic planning committee, says parish council – at least, not yet
By Julia Penhaligon St Endellion parish council – which styles itself the “Doc Martin parish council” because it includes Port Isaac – has moved to distance itself from a...
Plan for huge windfarm on Bodmin Moor to be determined next week
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Plans for 22 380-feet tall wind turbines at Cold Northcott on Bodmin Moor are due to be determined next week. The application is one of the...
Pollution kills River Allen fish
The Environment Agency is investigating a pollution incident on the River Allen, between Camelford and Wadebridge, which has killed hundreds of fish. It was caused by a collapsed slurry...
Victory for local residents in North Cornwall seaweed war
By Rashleigh MacFarlane North Cornwall’s seaweed war appears to be over – with victory going to the objectors. It is more than a year since many local people first...
Don’t buy Cathedral cheddar, say dairy farmers, as Davidstow factory terminates their contracts
By Rashleigh MacFarlane More than a dozen dairy farms in Cornwall and Devon are in danger of going out of business after the Canadian dairy company Saputo, which owns...
Bird flu in Bodmin
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Animal health experts have declared a bird flu protection zone around a poultry farm near Bodmin. The 1.9 mile radius zone is identified by the blue...
EXCLUSIVE: Council hopes the Blisland bog will take the brakes off for North Cornwall property developers
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall’s first deliberately-constructed open-air sewage bog is to be created near the Camel Trail at Blisland. Cornwall Council wants to buy about an acre of land...
Devolution: “home rule” confirms the closure of seven adult education centres in Cornwall
By Rashleigh MacFarlane County Hall has confirmed the closure of seven adult education centres in Cornwall, despite overwhelming public opposition. The adult education service specialises in literacy, numeracy, information...
Farmers vs Teachers: bid to bring inheritance tax politics into the classroom leaves girls suspended for a day
By Lee Trewhela A farmer has said she will take further action after a school suspended her two daughters for taking part in a welly boot protest against inheritance...
Threat to Cornwall’s adult education service – just 12 months after devolution
By Lee Trewhela Adult education staff in Cornwall face losing their jobs before Christmas after it was revealed that seven learning centres are threatened with closure. A large number...
Teenager arrested after fatal car crash near St Tudy
By Harold Callahan An 18-year-old Bodmin man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving while unfit through drink or drugs, following a fatal collision between...
Plans for 200-acre solar farm in North Cornwall rejected
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Planners have rejected proposals for a 200-acre solar farm at Canworthy Water, between Launceston and Bude. Cornwall councillors voted 7-3 to refuse permission. County Hall officials...
Who wants a Camelford bypass? Er, good question
By Julia Penhaligon Only one of Cornwall’s MPs has so far tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in the House of Commons – the Parliamentary equivalent of hoisting a...
St Breward takes back control: villagers unite to run their own community shop
By Graham Smith St Breward, one of the highest and most remote villages on Bodmin Moor, has a new community shop. It is owned and run by local people...
Transport Secretary to discuss rail links in North Cornwall
By Julia Penhaligon North Cornwall MP Ben Maguire has secured a meeting with Transport Secretary Louise Haigh to discuss rail links in the constituency. Yesterday’s review of the previous...
Are Looe’s flood defence scheme and Camelford’s bypass about to disappear into the government’s £22 billion black hole?
By Julia Penhaligon The proposed £200 million Looe flood defence scheme and the £147 million Camelford bypass, both unfunded, look set to be among a long list of previous...
North Cornwall seaweed wars: news from the front
By Rashleigh MacFarlane North Cornwall’s “seaweed wars” appear to be turning in favour of the objectors. Plans for industrial-scale seaweed farming off the coast at Lundy Bay and Port...
New Polzeath car park closes as County Hall pursues its “devolution” agenda
Work has started on modifications to the Cornwall Council owned car park at New Polzeath, which will lead to its management transferring to the controversial £100-fine-for-late-return Birmingham-based Initial company. ...
Motorists warned to avoid Camelford town centre because of unsafe building
An unsafe building has forced the closure of the main A39 road through Camelford. Diversions are in place. Cornwall Council recently agreed to spend £2.6 million on yet another...
North Cornwall’s seaweed wars: here come the lawyers
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Campaigners against a seaweed farm off the North Cornwall coast have raised more than £16,000 to help finance a legal challenge. The “Save Port Isaac Bay”...
General Election 2024: the bookies again shorten their odds on a Lib Dem victory in North Cornwall – where the Greens could beat Labour
By Julia Penhaligon Bookmakers appear increasing willing to think that the Liberal Democrats could defeat the Conservatives in North Cornwall. In the space of only a few days they...
Labour Party has a Parliamentary candidate for North Cornwall
By Julia Penhaligon Labour has selected Robyn Harris as its Parliamentary candidate for North Cornwall. Ms Harris, from Wadebridge, works for Cormac. She hopes to build on the progress...
What else can you do when your football team has just lost a 7 goal thriller in the final minute of extra time?
It is rarely the case that Port Isaac is short of celebrities. Liverpool football club manager Jurgen Klopp thought the best way of shedding the bitter taste of Sunday's...
Is this the launch of Cornwall’s Tory farewell closing-down sale?
By Lee Trewhela and Julia Penhaligon With fewer than 14 months before they next face the voters, Cornwall Council’s ruling Conservative administration has been asked if it is “playing...
North Cornwall’s seaweed wars: this week sees two chances to find out what they are really all about
By Rashleigh MacFarlane North Cornwall’s seaweed wars move up a gear this week with two public meetings. The first is tomorrow (Tuesday) at the St Percival Institute, St Minver,...
North Cornwall’s seaweed wars: the first shot was fired at the bottom of page 36
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Battle lines are being drawn over plans for seaweed farms off the North Cornwall coast. The Marine Management Organisation has received applications for large farms at...
Camelford bypass: the cracks appear already
By Julia Penhaligon A blue-on-blue Conservative party split appears to be widening within days of a Cornwall Council decision to spend £2.6 million on yet another business case for...
North Cornwall’s Lib Dems get their man
By Julia Penhaligon North Cornwall’s Liberal Democrats have selected solicitor Ben Maguire as their Parliamentary candidate for the forthcoming general election. Mr Maguire now seeks to fill the shoes...
Camelford’s golden mile: the traditional election-year bypass promise would now cost a staggering £147 million
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall’s Conservatives are considering a gamble of £2.6 million to refresh a business case for the Camelford bypass. County Hall officials admit the road would be...
Cornwall’s first “constructed wetlands” – aiming to prevent sewage polluting the River Camel – come a step closer
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Open air sewage bogs are to be created deliberately in two areas of North Cornwall to make it easier for property developers to realise profits. Land...
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: County Hall’s cunning plan to revive the Camelford bypass
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Details are expected soon about what a cut-price Camelford bypass might look like, as the issue prepares to make its traditional guest appearance on the political...
Hundreds without electricity in North Cornwall
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Nearly 700 homes are without electricity in the St Kew Highway area of North Cornwall, near Wadebridge, close to the A39. Western Power was alerted to...
Watch out for floods, Environment Agency warns North Cornwall
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Several areas in North Cornwall are at risk of flooding as the River Tamar and its tributaries continue to rise during heavy rain. The Environment Agency...
Camelford’s “metric martyrs” now just a footnote in history, as government declares there is no way back for pounds and ounces
By Julia Penhaligon The long march backwards to revive Imperial weights’ measurements such as pounds and ounces has finally ground to a halt. A campaign born in Camelford 23...
Police say North Cornwall rave is “unacceptable”
By Harold Callahan Police claim to be “dealing with an illegal rave in the Camelford area.” They appear to have closed the main A39 road to prevent access onto...
Boxing Day: a good day for Fantastic Mr Fox to stay at home
By Julia Penhaligon At least four fox hunts – and hunt saboteurs – will be out across Cornwall for their traditional Boxing Day confrontations. According to the Countryside Alliance,...
Swamped: Cornwall’s developers told they can carry on house-building provided they help create new sewage bogs close to protected wildlife sites
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall’s planners look set to push ahead with a novel trading scheme in the New Year which would allow property developers to continue building houses close...
County Hall pushes ahead with plan to axe school transport
By Rashleigh MacFarlane About 80 children from four schools will be required to walk up to three miles on narrow country lanes if Cornwall Council approves a recommendation coming...
Sits Vac: Liberal Democrats seek new Parliamentary candidate for North Cornwall
By Graham Smith Phil Hutty has resigned as the Liberal Democrats’ Parliamentary candidate in North Cornwall, triggering a fresh selection contest. Cornwall Reports understands that local activists were divided...
The Battle for Trevalga: big money won, leaving locals to wonder what happens next
By Rashleigh MacFarlane A tiny hamlet of Trevalga, between Tintagel and Boscastle, has been sold to one of the world’s largest property companies. The William Pears Group is understood...
Camelford by-pass not dead, insists North Cornwall MP
By Graham Smith Plans for a Camelford by-pass are not dead, the North Cornwall MP Scott Mann has insisted, after last week’s scrapping of the HS2 rail link and...
A30 on Bodmin Moor to close tonight while police investigate fatal accident
By Peter Tremayne The A30 over Bodmin Moor will close tonight (Sunday) so that police can resume their investigation into a fatal accident. The closure will require long diversions....
National Trust adds another piece to the Tintagel jigsaw
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The National Trust has bought more than 50 acres of farmland and cliffs adjoining Tintagel castle. The Trust already owns a considerable amount of land in...
Tales of the Riverbank: Tories set to dump more sewage into Cornwall’s rivers in bid to protect house builder profits
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Communities secretary Michael Gove is set this morning (Tuesday) to rip up environmental rules and allow house builders to dump more sewage into rivers. Wildlife groups...
Bodmin man sent to secure mental hospital after threatening staff at office of local MP
By Peter Tremayne A judge has sent Ian Rogerson, 44, of Bodmin, to a secure psychiatric hospital after hearing how he entered the constituency office of North Cornwall MP...
Hands up if you would like to be Labour’s Parliamentary candidate in North Cornwall or St Ives
By Julia Penhaligon The Labour Party has started the process for selecting Parliamentary candidates for the next general election in North Cornwall and St Ives constituencies. Both constituencies are...
Hot rocks power station for Camelford?
By Rashleigh MacFarlane A geothermal “hot rocks” power plant could be on the cards for Camelford . Geothermal Engineering Ltd has asked Cornwall Council for an environmental impact assessment...
Much of Cornwall at “very high risk” of wildfires, says Met Office
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Large areas of north Cornwall are at “very high risk” of wildfires because of the hot, dry, weather, according to the Met Office. Last year saw...
St Breward’s village shop set to close, while the Isles of Scilly observes the end of an era
By Rashleigh MacFarlane One of Cornwall’s most remote communities - St Breward on Bodmin Moor is to lose its “lifeline” local shop and Post Office. The St Breward Stores...
Multi-million pound spending schemes will continue to escape scrutiny, as councillors agree an “action plan” which will not change anything
By Graham Smith Auditors have agreed an “action plan” which Cornwall’s Conservatives hope will put an end to free-spending on major capital projects which go disastrously wrong. County Hall’s...
EXCLUSIVE – Camelford bypass “could be shorter” and make greater use of existing B-road
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall Council has again insisted that it has not abandoned its plans for a Camelford bypass - despite the government’s rejection of the £73.4 million road...
Helland Bridge badly damaged by another lorry, only six months after it reopened
By Graham Smith Only six months after it reopened, Helland Bridge, near Bodmin, has again been badly damaged by a lorry. The 15th century listed building, which spans the...
Camelford by-pass: County Hall sends its thoughts about a cheaper road to Whitehall
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall Council has submitted a last-ditch bid to the government to keep alive its hopes for a Camelford by-pass. The council’s cabinet portfolio holder for transport,...
Strictly for the birds: starlings do their thing on Bodmin Moor
By Rashleigh MacFarlane North Cornwall photographer Peter Glaser has recorded what happened when thousands of starlings descended on him on Bodmin Moor. A huge murmuration of the birds enveloped...
Hot Fuzz: police add to their arsenal of crime-busting kit with new four-wheel-drive buggy
By Peter Tremayne Devon and Cornwall police will soon be able to chase villains all over Bodmin Moor, thanks to a new “all-terrain” vehicle. Not much larger than a...
Boxing Day hunts continue to provoke controversy
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Hunt saboteurs are planning to film the traditional Boxing Day meet of the North Cornwall hunt in Camelford this morning (Monday.) Trail hunting is legal but...
Back To Brown: County Hall tells North Cornwall property developers they can resume dumping sewage in the rivers
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall’s planners have agreed to relax the rules about phosphate pollution of the River Camel and its tributaries, signalling a green light to developers to resume...
EXCLUSIVE: The government still hasn’t told us that the Camelford bypass is not going to happen, says Cornwall Council, as costs reach £69 million.
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The official cost of the Camelford bypass has risen to £69 million, according to a County Hall Freedom of Information answer. It now looks highly unlikely...
Ten of Cornwall’s leisure centres at risk of shorter opening hours
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The company which manages most of Cornwall’s leisure centres has said it plans to cut their opening hours in a bid to save money. GLL, trading...
King Arthur’s bridge conquers the rest of Britain – now takes on the world
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Tintagel Castle footbridge has won another award. Five years after planners gave the bridge the go-ahead, the £5 million project can now claim to be...
Bude crematorium gets the go-ahead as planners vote 7-4 to back project
By Richard Whitehouse Controversial plans for a new crematorium in North Cornwall have been approved, by seven votes to four, despite hundreds of objections from local people. Planning permission...
Davidstow cheese factory still upsetting local residents, despite £1.5 million fine
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Davidstow cheese factory on Bodmin Moor is at the centre of a new pollution row, only a few months after being fined a record £1.5...
Who killed the Camelford by-pass? County Hall blame game over how costs nearly doubled in three years
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall Council’s ruling Conservative cabinet is coming under pressure to make a final decision about whether to throw more money at plans for a Camelford by-pass,...
Back to the drawing board – £6.5 million and three years wasted, as government dismisses Cornwall Council’s Camelford by-pass proposals as “poor value for money”
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Plans for a Camelford by-pass, developed by Cornwall Council at a cost to local taxpayers of nearly £6.5 million, have been described as “poor value for...
St Austell link road makes progress, but Camelford by-pass could fall victim to Halloween budget
By Rashleigh MacFarlane and Richard Whitehouse The government’s “corrective” budget, to be set out on Monday 31st October, could finally see the shelving of plans for a Camelford by-pass....
New phosphate calculator aims to change the way planners view pollution of the River Camel, where a development embargo has been in place for 18 months
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Planners are hoping to ease the restrictions on property development in the River Camel area of North Cornwall. In April 2021 Cornwall Council was forced to...
Home Office “wanted to use Camelot Castle for asylum-seekers” claims Tintagel hotel owner
By Julia Penhaligon The owner of Tintagel’s Camelot Castle has claimed the Home Office wanted to use his hotel to house asylum seekers. John Mappin told Nigel Farage’s GB...
The Battle for Trevalga: locals rally to protest the sale of their homes
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The tiny North Cornwall hamlet of Trevalga, near Tintagel, is planning another rally next week as residents look to step up their campaign against the sale...
Christmas tree nursery damaged by fire
By Peter Tremayne Fire has severely damaged a Christmas tree nursery near Bodmin. It broke out at the Cedar Croft Nurseries and Storage at St Tudy at about 5.45pm...
North Cornwall hotel, closed by Covid in 2020, could be converted to two detached houses
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Bossiney House hotel, near Tintagel, could be converted into two houses if a planning application is successful. The 16-bedroom hotel, which dates originally from the...
Truro stadium, Camelford by-pass and Looe Valley cycle trail – Cornwall Council’s axe swings at the low-hanging fruit
By Julia Penhaligon It looks as if the final nail in the coffin of a Truro stadium is about to be hammered into place, as Cornwall Council is poised...
North Cornwall MP Scott Mann gets key role in animal welfare at Defra
By Graham Smith The government has now published details of the role to be played by North Cornwall MP Scott Mann, appointed last week as a junior minister at...
Tintagel castle in danger of falling into the sea, says English Heritage
By Rashleigh MacFarlane English Heritage has launched a fundraising appeal to help protect Tintagel castle from coastal erosion. It is one of six sites in in the organisation’s care...
Bude crematorium planning battle approaching the finish line
By Rashleigh MacFarlane One of the most controversial planning battles seen in North Cornwall for many years is due to reach its conclusion next week. It is now nearly...
Cornwall burning: fire at Glebe Cliff, Tintagel
Fire crews are tackling a large open fire at Glebe Cliff, Tintagel. The first fire engine was called at 8.45am but a short time ago a water carrier from...
The Battle for Trevalga reaches Westminster, as Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries orders Charity Commission to investigate
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has intervened in the “Battle of Trevalga” – a tiny North Cornwall hamlet, owned by a high-profile private school, which faces destruction...
How to ensure a clear water revival? River Camel and its tributaries remain plagued by pollution problems
By Rashleigh MacFarlane About 100 people attended a public meeting at The Betjeman Centre, Wadebridge, last night to discuss the continuing water pollution problems affecting the River Camel and...
The Queen is not amused: Davidstow cheese factory could lose its Royal seal of approval over Bodmin Moor pollution
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Davidstow cheese factory is at risk of losing its Royal patronage unless it stops polluting Bodmin Moor with black sludge. The Queen is said to...
EXCLUSIVE: Marlborough College puts entire North Cornwall hamlet on the market (again)
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Storm clouds are gathering over the tiny North Cornwall hamlet of Trevalga, near Tintagel, which is owned by the Marlborough College private school in Wiltshire. About...
EXCLUSIVE: The 30 year secret which describes how health officials considered trying to silence one of their fiercest critics over the Camelford water poisoning disaster
By Graham Smith Senior officials at the Department of Health were so concerned about their perceived response to the Camelford water poisoning disaster of 1988 that they considered taking...
Davidstow cheese factory fined £1.5 million for pollution offences
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Davidstow cheese factory, owned by Dairy Crest Ltd, has been fined £1.5 million for polluting the countryside to the harm of local residents. Dairy Crest...
“Doc Martin” surgery in North Cornwall, closed for two years because of Covid, might never reopen
By Anne North A small, rural doctors’ surgery in North Cornwall – closed for two years because of Covid – might never reopen because of staff shortages. The St...
Rave On: Davidstow’s “Not The Jubilee” party continues to irritate some locals
By Peter Tremayne Hundreds of people are still at an impromptu music festival on Davidstow moor, near Camelford, despite a three-day police presence at the site. Officers have made...
The wrong kind of Jubilee party has North Cornwall residents up in arms
By Peter Tremayne With dozens of roads in Cornwall due to be closed for the Queen’s Jubilee street parties this weekend, police are warning people to avoid Davidstow, near...
North Cornwall farmer gets his climate protest day in court
By Peter Tremayne A North Cornwall farmer is due to appear in court in East London this afternoon (Friday) accused of taking part in a climate change protest. Paul...
David Flower, former TV repair man, photographer and Tintagel local news website pioneer, dies
By Graham Smith One of the best known characters in Tintagel has died. David Flower, a local photographer and publisher of the Tintagel Web community news site, was in...