CAMPAIGNERS are fighting to overturn planning permission to build a controversial £60-million holiday park on the outskirts of Newquay.

Residents have requested Angela Rayner, the Secretary of State for housing, communities and local government to “call in” Cornwall Council’s decision to build the 400 lodge Green Ridge Resort on 70 acres of agricultural land off the A392 at Colan, Quintrell Downs.

Mrs Rayner will have to decide whether the unitary authority’s strategic planning committee adhered to planning policy when approving the plans.

The Secretary of State will make a decision on the plans herself if she believes Cornwall Council has not done this.

The strategic planning committee approved the holiday park plans by five votes to four after deciding the scheme’s economic benefits would outweigh the negatives.

But campaign group Residents Against Green Ridge Development argues the planning committee made its decision without any meaningful scrutiny of the developers’ claims of economic gains and job creation.

The community has been left shell shocked and outraged plans to build the luxury holiday resort outside of Newquay were approved.

More than 350 people, along with Colan Parish Council, Newquay MP Noah Law and Colan Cornwall councillor John Fitter had objected to the scheme submitted by Abe Simpson of Kingsley Leisure developers, as they believe it will have an unacceptable level harm to the landscape, ecology and historical setting of the area.

Residents spoke against the development at the planning committee arguing the scheme would lead to the loss of versatile agricultural land and exacerbate congestion in the area.

The Green Ridge resort will include a reception area, a swimming pool, spa and indoor activity centre, food and beverage outlets, outdoor activities including a water park, splash park, playground, dog walking trail, walking trails and seasonal outdoor events areas and a series of permanent lakes

A spokesperson for Residents Against Green Ridge Development said: “Residents are dismayed about how the planning meeting went.

“A planning application for a solar farm that was the first to be decided on the agenda at the meeting, which was refused for things like visual impact and loss of biodiversity. All, the things we were fighting for regarding the Kingsley development.

“The vice chairman of the committee Dulcie Tudor, who voted for the holiday park scheme, has since appeared on Politics South West stating how agricultural land needs protecting for food security following the council’s solar farm decision.

“Yet here the council is giving the go ahead to build a luxury holiday park on a comparable area of productive agricultural land straight after refusing the solar farm application.

“The application was passed by five votes to four as it would be good for the economy but not one councillor asked for a detailed understanding or assurances of what jobs the scheme would create.

“Our local MP put in an objection to the proposal whose view we feel was sidelined

“The community wants a fair process, and they do not feel it was a fair process.”