Tourism is the main source of income in this area and one which is on the increase each year. The community is likely to lose much of the area’s tourism which will have a negative impact on any associated trades such as property maintenance, retail, restaurants, kayaking, diving, and similar. The reverberating noise of the explosives (potentially from 9am – 5pm on weekdays and Saturday mornings) and the noise of the stone being loaded at any time of the day or night to suit the quarry, will not only decimate the tourist trade in the immediate area (Coverack, St. Keverne and the adjacent hamlets) but will have a knock on effect on the whole of the Lizard Peninsula. The Lizard Penisula will inevitably become associated with the super quarry in people’s minds. This may impact further afield to areas in Cornwall which benefit from the high level of tourism within the county.
Currently, the Lizard Peninsula is a highly desirable destination for tourists, offering peace, clean air, blue skies, beautiful landscapes, the South West Coast Path National Trail (Lonely Planet rate this as one of the best walks in the world) and a stunning marine environment. This should not be traded in for noise, air pollution, a scarred landscape and loss of a marine biodiversity.
Tourism has a very low impact on the environment. The majority of the revenue generated is put back into the community. When the Prime Minister unveiled the Governments Long Term Economic Plan for the South West, only a few weeks ago, one of the main points was “to support the tourism sector, to draw more people to the south-west’s beautiful countryside and coastlines, with the aim of increasing the number of annual overseas visits to the south-west to 3 million by 2020, creating around 7,000 more jobs”. This aim will be in direct conflict with the outcome of the development of the quarry.