Frustrated residents of a remote Cornish seaside village have slammed Cate Blanchett for ‘making their lives hell and driving away tourists’ due to the ‘non-stop drilling and banging’ in her renovated country house.
The actress, 54, bought a £1.6million cottage close to the sea in Mawgan Porth with her husband Andrew Upton in 2020, but quickly demolished it to create a five-bedroom ‘eco-house’, complete with a swimming pool.
Located just four miles north of Newquay, the sleepy village is dubbed ‘Hollywood-on-Sea’ due to its popularity with A-list actors and is also home to Aquaman star Jason Momoa and 50 Shades of Gray heartthrob Jamie Dornan.
Since renovation work began on Ms Blanchett’s property, many locals have complained that the ‘noisy construction work’ is affecting their living standards as traffic continues to increase from huge trucks occupying the area.
One told the Sun: ‘When you open a window you hear drilling. It makes our lives a misery.”
Lord of the Rings star Cate Blanchett, 54, bought a £1.6million cottage close to the sea in Mawgan Porth in 2020
There’s a new development underway atop the cliffs in Mawgan Porth – believed to be owned by the Hollywood actress
Another added: ‘Tourism is essential here. That disruption has not made the owner very popular.”
Locals have long been suspicious of Hollywood’s new residents, previously claiming their idyllic area was being ‘destroyed’ by the influx.
Earlier this year, residents revealed how unaffordable multi-million pound ‘out of touch’ houses are being built and unwitting tourists complain about the smell of cow dung – in the countryside!
They claimed that ‘Cornwall’s best kept secret’ was about to be overrun by second home owners who are demolishing traditional 1930s bungalows to build ‘James Bond-esque Lego blocks’ that no one can afford.
Susan Schofield, 65, who has farmed land in the area since 1973, says she is irritated by complaints from newcomers who are unaware of rural life.
‘They don’t seem to have any idea that this is the countryside. “I have had complaints when I put cows in my pasture because people don’t like the smell or they expect to be able to walk on my land whenever they want,” she says.
Local resident Susan Schofield said tourists sometimes treat the village like ‘Disneyland’ and as if ‘it’s just here for the tourists, but it’s not, people live and work here’
Mawgan Porth In Cornwall, dubbed ‘Hollywood-on-Sea’ by locals, has become a popular second home destination for A-listers
But locals have argued that second home owners and celebrities moving to the area are making it harder for younger generations to stay
“People sometimes treat it like Disneyland, like it’s just for tourists, but that’s not the case, people live and work here.”
Ms Schofield added that she now avoids the beach altogether during the summer months because it is too busy.
Despite there being some excitement among locals that they might encounter Mrs Blanchett in a supermarket, many have argued that on top of the housing crisis, the influx of holiday rentals and second home owners is making it even more difficult for younger generations to stay.
According to census data, Cornwall is Britain’s most popular destination for a second home, with 6,080 holiday homes used by 14,230 people.
Estate agents’ listings for Mawgan Porth appear to support locals’ concerns, as the top two properties – one of which hasn’t even been built yet – are for sale for £2.9 million and £2.25 million.
And many locals have complained that it is unfair that these houses are only sold privately and that the public cannot see the floor plans, which attracts celebrity buyers.
The remote village of Mawgan Porth is just four miles from Newquay
Clare Coode, a buying agent at Stacks Property Search in Cornwall, told The Times celebrities here are ‘obsessed’ with privacy and insist on direct access to the water from their homes.
“One famous buyer insisted that the agents had to climb every hill for miles around to make sure the house he wanted couldn’t be hijacked by the paparazzi,” she said.
“For that reason, he ultimately rejected the house, even though it was perfect in every way.”
With a number of daily flights between Newquay Airport and Heathrow and designated helicopter landing points, international travel is easier than ever for the rich and famous heading to their Cornish retreat.
Andrew Adams, a purchasing agent specializing in Somerset, Bristol and Bath, told The Times: ‘Each of these airports has seen a significant increase in the use of private aircraft in recent years as the region has become more popular with wealthy buyers. ‘
The West Country’s long-standing reputation for food is a factor in attracting celebrities, as high-profile chefs such as Rick Stein, Nathan Outlaw and Jamie Oliver have a number of restaurants in the area.
The perfect surfing conditions may have been a factor in luring A-listers familiar with California beaches.