National Maritime Museum, Falmouth
Monday 9th June 2008
 

 

Jobs Before Beauty?

In 1930 the Cornwall Branch of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England under the Presidency of the Lord-Lieutenant, John Charles Williams, published a survey of the county entitled, ‘Cornwall: A survey of its coast, moors and valleys (1) ,with suggestions for the preservation of amenities. ’This was to be seen as an important piece of work and it is re-assuring to see that many of its recommendations were implemented in one way or other not least in the creation of what is known as the Cornwall AONB Partnership. Together with the Isles of Scilly and Tamar AONB’s much of this distinctive part of the world has the recognition that the survey suggested. Whether it has the protection it deserves is another matter and is part of the discussion to-day.

In his preface to the survey Arthur Quiller-Couch said, “In Cornwall one is never far from the ocean with its magical coastline, nor anywhere but close upon some delicate sylvan beauty of vale and stream” When Robert Tregay (2) looked at the county again in 1997 he re-emphasised the special character of Cornwall’s landscape and how this was acknowledged both by those who know the county from holiday visits and by those who have lived here for generations or more recently adopted the county as their home.

However, this later report also acknowledged the pressures on the Cornish landscape that had intensified even since the designation of the AONB in 1959.The report emphasised, ‘the long term prospects for these landscapes depend upon full recognition of, firstly, their very fine and unique characteristics, and secondly, upon effective care and management by those who live and work here, by those who visit, and those responsible for guiding and controlling the development and management of the countryside.’

At the time when the county is preparing for a unitary form of local government, when there is an economic ‘window of opportunity’ through Convergence European funding and the social and economic pressures for development and change become greater, The Cornwall Lecture believes it appropriate to put the spotlight once again onto our landscape; to look at what in fact does make it special, to look at the business opportunities related to our landscape and to explore with independent experts, how the people of Cornwall can develop a successful and sustainable economy whilst at the same time protecting the environment which is often described as Cornwall’s most important economic asset.

This Away Day is the first of a series of events, which together, culminating in The Cornwall Lecture (3) this November,will seek to raise the profile of the landscape quality of Cornwall and reemphasise its potential importance for the social and economic future of the county.

Keith Hambly-Staite
Programme Director, The Cornwall Lecture

1 Harding Thompson,W. Cornwall: coast, moors and valleys.A survey with suggestions for their preservations prepared for the Cornwall Branch of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England. 1930. University of London Press.

2 Tregay, Robert. The Cornish landscape: an assessment of the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty prepared by Landscape Design Associates in association with Cornwall Archeological Unit for the Countryside Commission, Cornwall County and District Councils. 1997 Countryside Commission.

3 The Cornwall Lecture 2008: to be delivered by Professor Robert Tregay, LDA Design.

 

Tony Batchelor
Chairman and Managing Director, GeoScience Ltd

Dr Tony Batchelor is Chairman and Managing Director of GeoScience Limited. He is a Chartered Engineer and holds a doctorate in rock mechanics from the University of Nottingham.His company has developed EarthEnergy systems to provide renewable energy for buildings and potential major geothermal application in the UK and export markets. He is currently a Board Member of the International Geothermal Association and is working on drilling problems common to both geothermal and oil& gas industries.

Tony taught rock mechanics at the Camborne School of Mines and became project director of the world famous ‘hot rocks’ project at Long Downs, Cornwall in 1973 which was funded by HM Government Department of Energy and the European Commission.

He has given evidence on renewable energy to both the House of Lords and the US Congress.He is the author of numerous papers and articles on geothermal issues and has contributed to a number of books as well as being regularly invited to contribute papers to international conferences.

Tony Batchelor - PowerPoint slides (PDF file) - 730K

Malcolm Bell
Chief Executive, South West Tourism

Malcolm Bell is Chief Executive of South West Tourism, an appointment he has held since 1999. Previously he was Director of Economic Development at the Devon and Cornwall TEC where he was involved in strategic economic development with particular reference to tourism, inward investment and rural and urban initiatives. During this time he conducted a strategic review of tourism support and development which led to a successful £10M European Commission Regional Challenge bid for the area.

In 2004 he headed up the creation and development of a new 12 year regional tourism strategy for the South West of England.This strategy adopted across the region embraces the challenges of driving up quality, destination management and sustainability of the product.This led to his appointment as a member of the European Commission Tourism Sustainability Group whose final report was adopted by the Commission in October 2007.

He advises governments on tourism policy in Australia and the Middle East.He is a Trustee of Fifteen Cornwall, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Academy of Food and Wine Service and a member of the Institute of Economic Development. A Cornishman he is proud to be described,‘as a man who loves Cornwall’

Malcolm Bell - PowerPoint slides (PDF file) - 260K

Peter Mansfield
Chairman, Cornwall AONB Partnership

Peter Mansfield chairs the Cornwall AONB Partnership ( Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and the Cornwall Rural Housing Association and is a board member of the Rural Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Partnership.

After training in law and land management Peter worked for the National Trust, initially in the South East and for twenty years in Cornwall retiring as Regional Director in 2002.

His particular interests include the distinctiveness of landscape and its long term sustainable management as Cornwall's key social, cultural and economic asset.

 

Catherine Mead
Chairman, Cornwall Agri-Food Council, Director Lynher Dairies Cheese Company

Catherine Mead is the owner and director of Lynher Dairies Cheese Company, one of the largest producers of speciality cheeses in the UK. It produces over 200 tonnes per annum for specialist wholesalers and supermarkets nationally and internationally. Previously Catherine worked as a marketing consultant in Devon and Cornwall on projects that included the launch of Food From Cornwall.Her early career was spent in London working for Ogilvy and Mather and later for Waldron, Allen Henry and Thompson on accounts for the Welsh Development Agency, American Express, and the British Tourist Authority.

The Mead family farm is committed to the production of nutrient dense natural food.They run an extensive farming system and are currently converting to an organic and biodynamic system.

Catherine is currently Chair of the Cornwall Agri-Food Council and Vice Chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Regional Implementation Group. As a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts her special interest topic is the creation of zero waste societies.

PDF symbol Catherine Mead - PowerPoint slides (PDF file) - 390K

 

Tom Oliver
Head of Rural Policy, Campaign to Protect Rural England

Tom Oliver was appointed Head of Rural Policy at the Campaign to Protect Rural England in 2003. Previously he had been responsible for the Council for National Parks evidence to the public enquiries into the New Forest and South Downs National Parks, and working for the National Trust managed in the 1990’s the £7.6m restoration project at Croome Park in Worcestershire, Capability Brown’s first complete landscape design.His early career was in advertising with clients including Barclays Bank, British Rail and Volkswagen.

Tom has spearheaded a number of influential reports, including,‘Your Countryside,Your Choice’, a vision of the countryside in 2035, as well as campaigning to prevent the closure of key laboratories of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

He is responsible for the environmental policy of his family farm in East Sussex.

PDF symbol Tom Oliver - PowerPoint slides (PDF file) - 1.4MB

 

Adrian Phillips
Trustee, National Trust; Trustee, Woodland Trust and Board Member Cotswolds Conservation Board

Professor Adrian Phillips trained as a planner and geographer. He has worked in London, Kenya and Switzerland for HM government, the United Nations Environment Programme and IUCN - the World Conservation Union. He was Director General of the Countryside Commission (1981-1992), and then professor at Cardiff University until 2000. He chaired the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (1994-2000), and has worked closely with the World Heritage and European Landscape Conventions.He has written and lectured on landscape and served on the boards of RSPB,WWF and CPRE.

He is currently a trustee of the National Trust and the Woodland Trust, a Ministerial appointee on the Cotswolds Conservation Board, the chair of the Gloucestershire Environmental Trust and an advisor to the Heritage Lottery Fund.He often holidays in Cornwall, where his wife’s family have a house on the coast near Gorran Haven.

PDF symbol Adrain Phillips - PowerPoint slides (PDF file) - 8.8MB

 

Alan Rafelt
Leader, Regional Strategic and Development Planning Team, Environment Agency

Alan Rafelt is leader of the Regional Strategic and Development Planning Team for the South West Region of the Environment Agency based in Exeter.His work involves the production,development and maintenance of a sustainable flood risk management plan for the South West with a 50-100 year horizon.

He has worked for over 38 years with the Environment Agency and other bodies including the Devon River Authority, South West Water and the National Rivers Authority. His experience includes flood risk management,water resources, and land use planning.

Alan is the co-author of the Environment Agency's policy on sustainable drainage and has contributed to various Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) documents on sustainable drainage,maintenance and adoption proposals.

He recently spent time in the United States as part of a Department of Trade and Industry mission reviewing current and emerging technologies for the disposal of storm water.

PDF symbol Alan Rafelt - PowerPoint slides (PDF file) - 7.6MB

 

Robert Tregay
Senior Partner, LDA Design

Professor Robert Tregay is Senior Partner of LDA Design and has 32 years professional experience. The primary focus of his work is design leadership of major development projects.He leads on masterplanning, landscape, ecology, EIA and related issues including energy strategies, design coding and environmental issues connected with climate change.He has given evidence at more than 100 public inquiries on a wide range of subjects including urban design and masterplanning, landscape issues, architecture and ecology. He is currently leading a range of new settlements and major urban extension projects for clients including Jesus College, Oxford,Trinity College, Cambridge,Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Strategic, Marshall of Cambridge, AXA, London Life, Kier and other developers and landowners.

He is also involved with a wide range of other fields.He has researched extensively the science and politics of climate change, and is lecturing nationally on this subject. In 1995, he launched HM Government’s Urban Design Initiative, Design in Town and Country. He is conducting regular international visits to leading European examples of housing-led development, where sustainability principles are being developed.