We will fight them on the beaches! Prince William and Love Island star Lucie Donlan form an unlikely alliance in their battle against the £1 million luxury villa development on the Cornish coast
- Locals are fighting plans to concrete the cliff face overlooking the beach in Newquay
The heir to the throne and a Love Island star make for an unlikely alliance.
But Prince William and Lucie Donlan are united in their attempt to block a development of luxury villas on the Cornish coast.
Locals in Newquay are fighting plans to concrete the wild rock face overlooking Whipsiderry beach on the coastal walk to build seven £1million second homes.
They fear the heavy construction work – deemed necessary to prevent the ‘exceptionally high quality’ properties from falling into the sea – will destroy an essential wildlife sanctuary.
They say that the first excavation has already dropped a thousand tons of stones on the beach, endangering the thousands of people who flock there every summer.
Love Island participant Lucie Donlan (centre left, black hat) joins protests at Whipsiderry Beach in Newquay on March 2
Prince William and Lucie Donlan (pictured) are united in their bid to block the development of luxury villas on the Cornish coast
Earlier this year, she was one of hundreds who staged a demonstration, linking arms to stop efforts by diggers to excavate the caves below.
Work was only halted when the Duchy of Cornwall, which owns part of the beach, responded to a plea from the group to use its “power and position of authority” to stop the destruction. Prince William inherited the dukedom when his father became king
A large community group set up to fight the development – including model and avid surfer Ms Donlan, who starred on Love Island in 2019 – has so far been ignored by Cornwall Council.
Earlier this year, she was one of hundreds who organized a demonstration, linking arms to stop attempts by diggers to excavate the caves below.
But work was only halted when the Duchy of Cornwall, which owns part of the beach, responded to a plea from the group to use its “power and authority” to stop the destruction.
The dukedom – which William inherited when his father became king – suspended the permit that allowed builders to access the beach until it could be proven that the plans were safe and bird nesting restrictions were met.
Campaign spokesman Andrew Robey, 38, a teacher and lifeguard, said the royal intervention was crucial to save the beach for now.
“The plans would ruin the beach, destroy the wildlife and endanger the people on the beach,” he added.
“They’re building second homes that sit empty most of the year while there’s a housing crisis here. The local population feels betrayed.’
Campaign spokesman Andrew Robey, 38, a teacher and lifeguard, said the royal intervention was crucial to save the beach for now. In the photo: Whipsiderry Beach
The land above was bought by developer Living Quarter Properties in 2007 for a reported £300,000, with plans for seven multi-storey holiday villas. Pictured: Lucie Donlan joins protests in March
Whipsiderry is “the last wild beach in the area,” activists say. The cliffs provide a vital breeding ground for seabirds called petrels and an important habitat for bats, the Cornish jackdaw and kestrels.
The land above was bought by developer Living Quarter Properties in 2007 for a reported £300,000, with plans for seven multi-storey holiday villas.
But the land has remained empty, largely due to the unstable cliff. Geologists warn it could erode more than 22 meters within a hundred years, causing the property to fall into the sea.
To secure any development above, builders used heavy machinery to insert 15-foot steel rods and fill the cliff and caverns below with tons of concrete.
Cornwall Council declined to comment.