Vision Plan for Par Beach and Dunes

The consultation project has come to an end and a final vision plan has been published. It is available to read and download in the documents section of this website, or by contacting charlotte.evans@cornwall.gov.uk.

Responding to coastal change in a manner that underpins the sustainable prosperity of our communities is a foremost goal for leadership in Cornwall, given our inherent interconnection with our long and diverse coastline. Like many other coastal communities in Cornwall, Par lays claim to beautiful sea-scape vistas. It also has some of the most impressive coastal ecology in the UK, with one of largest know sea-grass beds being discovered there in recent years. Nonetheless, its community teeters on the edge of prosperity with multiple forms of deprivation (low income, job insecurity, poor health) entrenched through the dominance of low-skill, low-wage sectors including the visitor economy and china clay mining. Part-time work accounts for over 40% of jobs in Cornwall and in 2021 26.5% of the Cornish population earned under the real living wage. The way in which the community of Par transitions in response to coastal and climate change offers an opportunity to better integrate prosperity with environmental resilience and nature recovery through Environmental Growth (Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, Environmental Growth Strategy, 2020 to 205).

Cornwall Council was delighted to be supported by investment from the Defra funded Making Space for Sand project to take forward this consultation-based visioning exercise to explore the main challenges and opportunities for nature-led adaptation to coastal change at Par Beach and Dunes. It is clear from the findings that the site is of special important to the community and well used by a range of audiences. The natural character of the environment has been highlighted as of overarching value to many, whilst there is also recognition that change is an inevitable component of the naturally dynamic beach and dunes, with the dunes at Par having grown significantly in the latter half of the 20th century to date and continuing to accrete, they now act as a nature-based form of coastal flood mitigation for the settlement behind. Opportunities to further increase wetland capacity and improve the native ecology of the transitional wetland and dune habitats have been highlighted as nature-led resilience methods.

The report also considers how a wider and more diverse audience might connect with the site though adapting access to work with natural coastal processes and align better with non-car travel in light of the potential impact of coastal change on roads highlighted in the Shoreline Management Plan. Opportunities afforded by the opening of the Mid-Cornwall Metro (2025) and improved cycle routes between Par station and the beach mean more people could make the choice to integrate Par Beach into a more active lifestyle, spending more time connecting with thriving nature.

Overall, this report is a part of wider discussion that will be continued whilst communities work with authorities to adapt to coastal change and it will be used locally to help plan how Cornwall Council works with residents and local groups in Par to manage the beach and dunes. Cornwall Council is grateful to the Environment Partnership for their hard work and input in delivering this commission.