£2m dry ski-slope plans unveiled

Plans for a £2m dry ski-slope centre in Cornwall have been revealed.

The backers of Winterpark Cornwall believe 60,000 skiers, snowboarders and tobogganers would use the site near Newquay all year if it got permission.

Some local people have objected to the scheme, claiming it would blight the area and also cause traffic problems on the nearby A392.

The plans for the 12-acre (4.8 hectare) site are to be submitted to Carrick District Council.

More people coming to Cornwall outside the main holiday season and there needs to be more for them to do Teresa Timms, Visit Cornwall

Farmer and former county NFU chairman Steve Bucknall said the site would feature two 180m (590ft) long ski slopes, and a club house close to Quintrell Downs.

But people in the nearby hamlet of Kestle Mill have raised objections to the plans.

Tony Cole, who lives next to the proposed ski-slope site, said: "This is going to ruin this hamlet. People are going to object to this because they've all moved here to be in the countryside."

He added that he was concerned about traffic on the A392. He said he had seen two fatal crashes and many near-misses on the road in the past two years.

Steve Bucknall said he has been working with highways officials to taken traffic into account.

He said: "We're very aware of the danger of this road and what we hope is that by widening road and the entrance we will actually help slow the traffic down."

Local demand

Tourism bosses have also said the plans would bring in more visitor during the off-season.

Teresa Timms from Visit Cornwall said the park would bring visitors in times of year when the county needed to drive up business.

She said: "Bearing in mind more people coming to Cornwall outside the main holiday season, there needs to be more for them to do."

She added that she expected there would be a lot of local demand too.

But Kestle Mill resident Ken Parsonage said he still thought a "ridiculous idea".

He said: "It will ruin the area. Alright, it will make someone some money. But I came here to live in peace, and that is not living in peace."

Carrick Council said it made planning decisions in the public interest.