Carbis Bay hotel reveals plans to return G7 Summit land to nature

Carbis Bay hotel has revealed plans to return to nature an area used to accommodate world leaders during the G7 summit in 2021.

The 47-bedroom Cornwall hotel built three single-storey buildings without planning permission when it hosted the event, which was attended by world leaders including Angela Merkel, Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau and Emmanuel Macron.

Their construction prompted environmental concerns from locals and around 350-400 complaints were made to the council, with a protest held outside the property.

The council made an enforcement notice in September 2021 demanding their removal and the restoration of the land to its original levels, gradients and condition.

In its latest application the hotel said it had met many of the requirements required by the enforcement notice and, following discussions with Cornwall Council, sets out what it says is a "practical approach" to meeting the outstanding requirements to "deliver a more sustainable set of outcomes".

Structures including pods and meeting rooms have been removed from the site, but shallow concrete foundations, a timber-clad retaining wall, fence and hardstanding remain.

The hotel has proposed creating a habitat zone in the area incorporating a public viewing area and rest stop adjacent to a coastal path.

It has also requested that a track, created for the summit, be retained at the request of the fire service to ease access to the hotel’s swimming pool, which would be used as an emergency source of water in the case of fire.

It has further asked to replace the existing fence with a lower post and rail fence to meet health and safety requirements.

Carbis Bay has said its plan has been “designed to primarily restore the site to as close to its original condition as possible, whilst causing as little harm to the existing surroundings as possible”.

It added that “the great majority of the site will be given back to nature, with public access restricted, and restorative planting undertaken”.

The hotel had originally hoped the structures would be retained and adapted for use as holiday accommodation following the summit.