By Jordan Coussins Swnslauren Beavis lauren Beavis SWNSLaurenBeavis Lauren Beavis
Families with a deep-seated tradition of camping at a historic coastal site are facing eviction amidst anxiety over potential fatal landslides, rockfalls, and flooding. Sandway Beach by Kingsand and Cawsand in Cornwall has been an idyllic retreat for campers, nearly a century since fishermen first pitched bell tents in the 1930s, giving way to more modern canvas and PVC structures. Yet those who hold dear their connection to the Rame Peninsula haven—some with lineage stretching back five generations—are “gutted” at the prospect of its closure due to safety worries. Read more: Couple lose 15st with one simple change Authorities have starkly warned occupants to “vacate the land immediately due to the risks of immediate danger/death”, underlined by threats of inundation, crag collapses, and terrain shifts. In a move that spells the end of an era, Cornwall and Plymouth City Councils, the custodians of the beach, have declared they won’t be extending the campsite’s licence citing the highlighted hazards. Despite longstanding family ties, campgoers and the Sandways Campers Association now find themselves branded as interlopers on the land. An increasing number of episodes involving crumbling cliffs, authenticated by the Environment Agency, underpin the safety reservations. Council officials further contend the camping area lacks viable emergency exits, should tidal surges submerge the shoreline. In resistance, local Kay Mabin has spearheaded a petition, galvanising community support in hopes of convincing councils to preserve this unique “irreplaceable cultural landmark”. Kay highlighted the deep sentimental value of the “beloved” campsite, noting how its tents and huts have been handed down through families over decades, from the “original bell tends of the early 1930s to the more modern canvas and PVC huts of today”. She went on to say: “The historical value of this site is not merely in its longevity but in the cultural heritage it represents.” Reflecting on the campsite’s significance, she continued, “Sandway Point has been a sanctuary where lifelong friendships were formed, where children explored the wonders of nature for the first time, and where the gently, lapping waves provided the soundtrack to countless family gatherings and restful nights.” She fears, “Losing this beloved site would erase nearly a century of community history and tradition, a detrimental blow not just to camping enthusiasts, but to the very fabric of Kingsand’s identity.” Expressing her personal connection, camper Julia Koonde shared with the BBC : “We learned to fish here and we caught rabbits in the fields and my mum made rabbit stew.” She fondly said, “The material things don’t matter when you’re here, it’s just nice to get away from the rat race.” Reiterating the community spirit at Sandway Point, Rebecca Lingard told the BBC: ‘”They don’t change hands, they don’t get rented out, they’re used by the families themselves at the weekends and in the summer holidays.” Taking a collaborative stance, she added, “We want to work with the councils to come to a solution. We understand their concerns.””. In a move acknowledging the campsite’s significance, both Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council have granted a 15-year lease to the trustees of the Sandway Campsite Association since March 2009. The lease permitted association members to pitch tents for holiday purposes and at certain times of the year near Sandway Beach. However, in 2015, Cornwall Council commissioned a report that revealed concerns about the stability of the cliff adjacent to the land, with these issues coming to the fore in March last year following several landslides that caused rocks to fall perilously close to the tents. Geotechnical specialists assessed the safety of the area and flagged the cliff and flood risk as “risks of immediate danger/death to the occupants”. With the lease concluding on 24 March, 2024, the association’s entitlement to use the beach also came to an end. A combined statement from the councils expressed: “There was also concern that there is no sufficient escape route for the occupants on the beach. “If the tide rises high enough and sweeps over the tents, then the beach could well become flooded and the occupants would be trapped; that risk would be even greater if flooding happened overnight whilst the occupants were asleep. “The EA has confirmed (very recently) that those risks are still present. “The lease expired on March 24, 2024 and the association’s right to occupy the beach expired at that point. “No further lease or licence has been granted to the association or any other party. “This means that the members of the association who have been camping on the land after March 24, 2024 have been trespassing. “Letters and emails were sent by Plymouth City Council between July and October 2024 asking members of the association to vacate the land immediately due to the risks of immediate danger/death to the occupants arising from the landslips and the flooding risks identified by the EA. “The land was vacated for a period of time in late 2024/early 2025. “However, members of the association have erected tents on the land and have been camping on the land again since April 2024.”