27.05.04
Kynance Cove work in progress

The final phase of the Kynance Cove project to protect and enhance the landscape and improve visitor facilities at one of Cornwall's most beautiful coves is underway, with the construction of new visitor lavatories.

The National Trust acquired the café complex at Kynance Cove in 1999 to protect the beauty and historical importance of the buildings and surrounding area from potential unsympathetic development and commercialisation.

Since October 2002 the historic buildings have been sensitively restored and renovated, in keeping with the Trust's commitment to conservation and sustainable tourism. The project is also improving visitor facilities in the cove, providing purpose built lavatories for the 150,000 visitors who come to the site to enjoy Kynance Cove every year.

The current project is receiving investment from Objective One through the European Regional Development Fund, the South West Regional Development Agency and Cornwall County Council. Further funds were received from the Lizard Lighthouse Appeal and through legacies from Mrs C M Lyon, Mr W Proctor and Mrs I Taylor.

Sympathetically designed, with a turf roof and Cornish hedging, the new toilets currently being built have their own 'biobubble', a self-contained fully biological and ultraviolet treatment system for treating sewage and café waste, to ensure high quality water standards for beach users. Solar roof tiles installed on the café buildings are generating enough electricity to offset the energy demands of the new toilets, whilst solar panels contribute to hot water requirements.

Kynance Cove is one of Cornwall's earliest and most famous visitor attractions. There has been a settlement in the cove since at least the eighteenth century, with a café recorded since early Victorian times. The poet laureate Alfred Tennyson visited Kynance in 1848 and 1860 and was impressed by the 'glorious grass – green monsters of waves' and remarked that he could…'have stayed there all day.'

Mike Hardy, Project Manager for the National Trust said: "It's pleasing to see the work to improve the visitor facilities progressing so well. Thanks to the vital support of our funding partners the work is showing that quality, sensitively designed facilities not only protect the natural environment, but make a significant contribution to supporting the local economy and providing local people and visitors alike with an enjoyable day out. Everyone involved is looking forward to the new toilets being completed and ready for use in July."

Victoria Donovan, who runs the cafe business at Kynance with her husband Luke, said: "Lots of visitors have commented on the quality of the building work, especially the use of the solar tiles. It's great to see the facilities improved in a way that protects such a special place."

Editor's notes:

The new toilet block is the last phase of the two-year project and will be completed by August 2004.

The café is now open for business, providing a service for visitors from April – October.

The larger project has included installing water and electric services to the cove – located underground in over 2km of trenching to protect the natural landscape. Kynance lies in a designated Heritage Coast and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The National Trust's work contributes much needed income to local economies across the country and has increasingly demonstrated the important link between a high quality environment and the economic sustainability of communities. Our Valuing our Environment studies found that 40% of the jobs created through tourism rely directly on a high quality environment.

4 out of 5 of the properties opened by the Trust run at a loss every year, so the charity supports this commitment to public access through membership subscriptions, gifts and donations and other fund-raising activities.

The National Trust has more than 11 million visitors a year to its pay-for-entry properties and a further 50 million a year visit its open-air properties.

With over 3.3 million members, the National Trust is the second largest membership organisation in Britain.

The Trust opens around 300 houses and gardens to the public every year, and a further 330 built sites ranging from a Roman goldmine to a Chartists' cottage.

More than 600,000 school visits are paid annually to Trust sites, making the charity the largest education provider in the country.

With 249,000 hectares of land the charity is the largest non-governmental landowner in the UK.

For further press information and photographs please contact:

Mike Hardy, National Trust Project Manager
01326 290 865 / 07968 177 775
email: mike.hardy@nationaltrust.org.uk

Sabina Eberle
National Trust Communications Officer
01208 265225
email: sabina.eberle@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Sue Wolstenholme
Objective One Communications
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mob: 07973 813647
Tel: 01579 370991

lmroberts@cornwall.gov.uk

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