OVER 30 people gathered at the site of a electricity sub station, which has been installed close to the roadside at Widemouth Bay to voice concerns at its location, which many believe to be dangerous and inappropriate.
Widemouth Bay resident, Rachel Roberts, said: "Despite much protesting last year North Cornwall District Council approved the application to build holiday homes, which can only be occupied for a percentage of the year, at Black Rock Beach. During the building last year the developers completely destroyed the verge on Marine Drive by parking all their vehicles there, fenced off the development with great ugly fences which protruded onto the road and made it unsafe to walk along that part of Marine Drive as both verges were obstructed.
"The development is partially finished and work has stopped probably due to the financial situation, so now the beautiful views are somewhat marred by a number of half finished, boarded up and uninhabited holiday homes which we now discover cannot be joined to the mains sewage so are seeking permission for a sewage plant which will disperse onto Black Rock Beach."
Rachel added: "Imagine my horror when on Friday, Western Power erected a sub station for these properties right on the main road! Now the first thing you see is a horrible brown shed like box which doesn't exactly say welcome to the beautiful unspoiled Widemouth. There is ample room for the sub station to have been built somewhere a little more discreet and I'm sure that on the edge of a road that is dark and busy in the summer, this is not the safest decision Western Power have made.
"We as a community will be making loud protests and I hope someone in authority will be persuaded to listen and relocate the sub station to a more discreet position."
She continued: "Poundstock Parish Council has protested at every opportunity concerning this development but have almost been totally disregarded by NCDC, which doesn't bode well for the forthcoming unitary council. The parish council is a group of local people, some of whom have lived in Widemouth all their lives and who have its best interests at heart. They work tirelessly for Poundstock and their local knowledge should be treated as an asset by the larger authorities."
Bob Booker, County Councillor for Marhamchurch and Week St Mary, told the 'Post': "On returning from holiday I discovered on Monday, March 17 that Western Power Distribution (WPD) had installed a sub station immediately adjacent to the highway. Power companies have a number of statutory rights and electricity sub stations do not need planning permission but there are a number of protocols which companies should follow.
"On Tuesday I contacted WPD, NCDC and County Highways and I contacted NCDC planning. It would appear that they were unaware of this sub station until they received the first complaint. If this was the case then they were unable to pass on any observations to the power company before WPD's decision or the erection of the sub station. I also spoke to County Highways who were consulted and a site meeting was held with them. As a result of this meeting WPD's initial proposals were changed from the eastern side of the road to within the Black Rock development site."
He added: "Going by WPD's revised plans, which were submitted to County Highways, it would appear that the sub station is closer to the road than depicted on these replacement site plans. The county council's involvement in this type of issue is on highway safety. County Highways are now investigating the position of the erected sub station.
"As the local county councillor I have serious concerns about the safety of this sub station being so close to the road. I also have serious concerns about it severely restricting the potential footway which local residents are hopeful of having constructed along this road."
There was even talk of resignations at a recent meeting of Poundstock Parish Council when the development was discussed.
Clerk to the parish council, Lynn Pluess, said: "The councillors felt disillusioned that nothing seemed to be done and nobody seemed to be listening to their views. It was in discussion that some of the councillors said 'we might as well not be here as nobody listens to us.'
"It was quite a surprise to everybody to see the sub station come up almost overnight."
Poundstock Parish Councillor Guy Rowland felt the siting of the sub station was inappropriate and dangerous, being some four inches from the side of the road.
He said it would be a tragedy if a car took the corner and hit the sub station, with 450 volts of electricity.
A spokesman for Western Power Distribution said they have been in consultation with the developers, but the development was permitted and no-one else needed to be consulted.
They added that the sub station will be permanently sited at the location, and added that the development needs electricity, thus making it an essential service.
However, following concerns raised by local residents, one of Western Power Distribution's local managers is set to meet with a parish councillor on site to discuss the concerns.