Support the campaign

Write to Cornwall Council and the Marine Management Organisation; Scroll down for more resources;

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Write to your Councillor, your MP and to the MMO. We've put together a bunch of guides that can help you get in touch with these people!

Cornwall Council and the Marine Management Organisation hold all the power here, don't let them destory our precious marine ecosystem and all the livelihoods that rely on it

Cornwall Council have just opened this new consultation. Check out this post on the further environmental information this new consultation is asking about.

We think that these plans will transform our town, and people have a right to know about them.

If, having read through the links on this website, you object to the plans, please comment on the Cornwall Council planning portal and contact your councillor with your concerns. You can find your councillor's details here.

The plans could go before Cornwall Council's Strategic Planning Committee at the next meeting so you should also contact each member of the Strategic Planning Committee with any concerns above the waterline.

Overview of the planning process

The decision on the Falmouth Docks redevelopment proposal currently rests with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) for the marine licensing of the works happening beneath the water (particularly the dredging and underwater construction), and with Cornwall Council for the works above the water.

There are general contact details for the MMO on their website. It is best to include the marine licensing application reference number when you get in touch, which is MLA 2025 00157. You could also ask Cornwall Council to put you in touch with the MMO or represent your concerns to them.

Details of the key Cornwall Council decision makers and contacts are available on the Cornwall Planning Portal. The relevant planning application reference number is PA25/01598. The planning case officer is named as Mark Ball, and the contact is listed as the ward councillor - Cllr. Laurie Magowan (cllr.laurie.magowan@cornwall.gov.uk). Cornwall Council's decision rests with these two individuals in the first instance. Either one of them can request that it comes to a planning committee for consideration, where a vote will be taken.

The application was temporarily included in the agenda for the Cornwall Council strategic planning committee on 26th July. It was subsequently withdrawn. It may come to an upcoming meeting of that committee. The agendas and dates for the meetings of this committee are published here. At the bottom of that page there is a link to register to speak at these meetings.

A list of members on the strategic planning committee is available on the Cornwall Council website. You can find their contact details here. You can also find the details for your local Cornwall councillor here.

Key contacts

Leaving a public comment

To leave a public comment please visit the Cornwall Council Planning Portal and Log In:

  • This will require you to create an account, if you do not have one already.
  • Once logged in, you can search for the planning application (PA25/01598).
  • Next, click the box with the blue rectangular speech mark and the words "Make a comment".
  • There is then a form to complete - most of the required fields should be filled in already - the most important ones to complete are "Commenter Type" (choose from the drop-down), "Stance" (tick one of Object, Support or Neutral), and "Your Comment" (describing your concerns).

Key points and suggestions

Environmental

  • The risk to marine life due to the spreading of sediment is too high
    • This threatens rare habitats such as maerl and seagrass, sustainable and natural fisheries, and marine mammals.
    • Sediment contains toxic substances, including biocides (TBT) and carcinogens (PAHs and PCBs).
    • Issues may be caused by dredging, construction work, and dumping waste at sea.
    • Could dredging be avoided by keeping larger cruise ships out at sea and ferrying passengers in?
  • Firmer commitments for environmental monitoring and mitigations during construction.
    • Curtains should be used to minimise sediment spread from construction and dredging work.
    • Levels of sediment and toxic substances should be continuously measured throughout the areas where sediment will spread, and works stopped immediately if these exceed safe thresholds.
    • The impacts on sea life should be continuously monitored.
      • Construction works should be stopped if sea life deteriorates.
      • Fair compensation should be provided for deterioration of sea life due to the works and subsequent activities.
    • Air pollution impacts of construction traffic should be monitored and fair compensation provided.
  • Firmer commitments for environmental monitoring and mitigations of future activities.
    • The proposal includes ambitions to massively expand cruise ship numbers to 200,000 passengers a year (from 55,000 passengers in 2025), and to grow maintenance and repair capabilities (e.g. for military contracts), and cargo business.
      • There should be monitoring of the sources of pollution caused by this: air pollution, sewage, waste, toxic substances, noise and light.
      • This includes the on-land pollution due to cruise passenger tourists, e.g., from coach travel.
      • The negative impacts of this pollution should be evaluated and compensation provided.
    • Floating Offshore Wind can have environmental benefits if combined with a reduction in less environmentally friendly energy generation.
      • There should be more evaluation of which Floating Offshore Wind activities are most appropriate for Falmouth Docks, and these activities should be prioritised.
      • Preparing Falmouth Docks for Floating Offshore Wind should not be dependent on expanding cruise ship or other industrial capacity.

Social

  • There has been inadequate consultation with local residents for a development of this size.
  • The traffic impacts are overbearing:
    • Construction traffic transporting materials to the docks and waste from the docks.
    • Cruise passenger traffic for day-trips (coaches, shuttle buses, taxis).
    • Limits should be set on the volume of traffic, and compensation provided for congestion impacting on residents and discouraging visitors.
  • The negative impacts on local peoples' health and livelihoods should be minimised, with fair compensation provided. Impacts may be due to:
    • air and sea pollution
    • economic disruption
    • change in cultural heritage.

Economic

  • There should be an independent economic impact assessment.
    • The current assessment uses figures from the cruise industry; scientific studies have shown these to routinely overestimate local economic benefits.
  • Negative economic impacts on fishing and tourism should be monitored and fair compensation provided.
  • The quality of jobs supported should be evaluated and minimum standards should be raised.
    • Will jobs be seasonal or year-round?
    • Will they be for local residents?
    • What will the working conditions be like?

Resources

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