RESIDENTS are being asked their thoughts on the future of Bude’s dunes and one of its busiest car parks.

Future Coast Bude is seeking public opinion on prospective plans for the dunes surrounding Summerleaze Car Park in the town.

Future Coast Bude is a Defra-funded project, led by Cornwall Council, running from April 2025 to March 2027. It is part of the £200-million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes, managed by the Environment Agency. The project builds on recommendations from previous reports, which the Bude community has already been consulted on, and will deliver practical, 'no regrets' actions to support adaptation to a changing climate.

One of these recommendations surrounds the future of the sand dunes near Summerleaze beach. In 2024, the town was presented with the ‘making space for sand’ project which seeks to establish the future of the area’s dunes, as ‘without changes to the management of beaches and dunes they risk being squeezed out, which could result in a more enhanced rate of erosion.’

With its funding, Future Coast Bude (FCB) aims to enable projects that help prepare for coastal change. This includes improving accessibility along the coastline, enhancing biodiversity in coastal areas, increasing beach safety, deepening understanding of coastal processes, and educating people about climate adaptation. It will also support improvements to public facilities, ensuring they meet the needs of future generations.

The organisation is working with the community to identify local priorities for the coastline, based on the area covered by the Shoreline Management Plan. The focus will be on medium-term needs (2025-2055), while also considering long-term challenges (2055-2105). The aim is that this proactive approach will help Bude prepare for sea level changes and strengthen its position when applying for funding to support climate resilience.

Now the FCB is engaging with residents to gauge public opinion on plans to allow dunes to grow at Summerleaze. However, the suggestion has not been met with much support.

Cornwall councillor for Bude, Peter La Broy told the Post: “It's no secret that I have doubts about the value of allowing the dunes at Summerleaze car park to accumulate so much sand.

“The idea that they will provide protection in future climate change induced severe weather events just doesn't feel right - a storm surge would go up the course of the river. There is another issue, which is that locking up such a great volume of sand at this spot keeps it from recirculating back into the beach system and may be why the harbour mooring area struggles to retain sand anymore.

“Finally, Summerleaze car park is used by visitors and locals to access our beaches. Allowing the dune to grow in an unrestrained manner means that in just a few years, the car park will be much reduced. This will have a knock-on effect in pushing traffic into the rest of the town and could possibly result in Bude losing appeal to visitors. Over the past few years, this subject has caused a lot of concern - this is one of a very few chances to register your feelings.

“Summerleaze has been created by human interventions over the last couple of hundred years. Whilst I support the principle of allowing nature to provide protection and resilience to climate change induced weather events, this project will have a dramatic impact on the appearance and viability of Bude as a seaside destination. I want our community to have all of the facts, along with an opportunity to influence what the future management of this area will be.”

In the past, suggestions surrounding the work at Summerleaze have been conflated with suggestions from another local climate action group, Bude Climate Partnership, however, FCB has stated that it is not affiliated with the organisation.

A spokesperson said: “Future Coast Bude is not affiliated with Bude Climate Partnership in any way and is funded and delivered through a very different process. However, without the work of the Community Jury, it is unlikely that this funding would have been secured for Bude.

“The project aims to follow many of the jury’s principles including meaningful and direct involvement of local residents, being fully transparent and sharing information on decisions that are made, communicating clearly and valuing local knowledge. Through the delivery of the Coastal Change Management Plan, we hope to be able to work in line with many of these commendable principles.”

The organisation is inviting residents to have their say at Bude Heritage Festival on Sunday, July 13.

A spokesperson added: “We know the build-up of sand in Summerleaze Car Park has caused concern.

“Future Coast Bude creates an opportunity to revisit the current approach and start conversations about what might be possible.

“We’re beginning discussions with key organisations and want to hear from you too. Come and chat with the team at the Bude and Stratton Heritage Festival in the Ivor Potter Hall at the Parkhouse Centre between 11am and 4pm.”

What are your thoughts on the plans? Let us know via [email protected]