Proposed new car park for The Lost Gardens of Heligan in 'Island Field'

This car park will help us future-proof the Heligan site and also provide crucial charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, something that is not possible in our existing car park.

The chosen site allows easy, safe access to Heligan and will ensure that we are able to continue to deliver our longstanding provision of car parking free of charge to our visitors, something we feel is vital during a cost-of living crisis and at a time when the Cornwall visitor economy is facing considerable challenges.

The field is used for silage and has no significant flora other than grass. Heligan will go beyond its statutory obligations to increase biodiversity as part of this proposal through a significant tree-planting programme elsewhere on its estate as well as planting up the hedging around Island Field to reduce any visual impact.

The Cornwall National Landscape (formerly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) covers nearly 30 per cent of Cornwall and is an important mechanism to protect the natural landscape of our county. All special considerations regarding development within a National Landscape are addressed in our planning application and this development will result an increase of local biodiversity due to a significant tree-planting  programme elsewhere on the Heligan site.

The Island Field site sits between the main road into Heligan and the Heligan Caravan and Camping Site and views of the site from within the surrounding area are limited due to undulating topography and presence of vegetation and development.

Heligan will deliver more than the required biodiversity net gain by planting trees in another part of the Heligan estate. Heligan has a longstanding commitment to enhancing the biodiversity of the estate and the surrounding area. In recent times, we have planted more than 100 trees, engaged in site-wide hedge planting and introduced glow-worms, water voles and beavers to Heligan. We are also developing a new red squirrel habitat.

Data gathered from Cornwall Council on accidents in the area between January 2019 and December 2023 (the most recent available) show that three accidents occurred in that period at different locations and with different causes. All three were classified as having an injury severity of “slight”. No accidents were recorded at the existing field access point.

This demonstrates that there is no evidence to suggest any existing road safety issues in the vicinity of the site. Highway Development  Management have raised no objection to this application in their statutory consultation.

We don’t anticipate this being the case. This development is about accommodating a similar volume of cars to that which we currently welcome in a smarter and more efficient way, as well as being able to offer EV charging for the first time.

We propose to install a new T-junction at the existing field access location. The existing access will be upgraded, to provide a 4.8m wide carriageway, ensuring safe entry and exit and good visibility in both directions.

A new accessible and dedicated footpath from the car park to the Heligan entrance will be provided to ensure that no visitors are required to walk alongside the road.

Installing EV charging in an affordable and low impact way requires close proximity to electrical infrastructure. Island Field is closer to National Grid infrastructure than our existing car park is so is the best location for EV charging.

Heligan encourages its visitors to use sustainable modes of transport to visit. The site is directly linked to National Cycle Route Number 3, which provides a safe and virtually traffic-free link from Mevagissey,
Pentewan and St Austell. There is also a public bus stop within the main entrance of Heligan and a permissive footpath through the neighbouring caravan park, providing on foot links to the wider environment.

These plans predate the Lobbs decision to charge for use of its car park, which has been used as an overflow car park for Heligan visitors on busier days. The development of this car park will ensure we can
continue to deliver our longstanding provision of car parking free of charge to our visitors, something we feel is vital during a cost-of-living crisis and at a time when the Cornwall visitor economy is facing considerable challenges.

No, this is untrue. Heligan has always paid on time.

The maintenance and upkeep of the car park was a Heligan responsibility under the terms of our agreement with the Lobbs and we always ensured that it was looked after to the same high standard as the Heligan site.

We consider the negotiations with Lobbs and the proposed development of Island Field as separate issues, although the potential imposition of parking charges by Lobbs has highlighted the importance of the Island Field development.

The provision of extra parking as well as crucial electric vehicle charging infrastructure is vital to future-proofing Heligan and so the application will continue regardless of the outcome of the Lobbs negotiations.