Tourist attraction loses ponies following unsuccessful house building proposal

Rame Head, a significant part of Mount Edgcumbe Country Park - a Grade I listed landscape that draws around a quarter of a million visitors each year - has found itself at the centre of a planning dispute.

In 2019, Chris Wilton, the farmer who has been managing the land for over a century, applied for planning permission to build a two-storey home for his family on Rame Head. However, the High Court refused planning permission due to the Cornwall Council's planning committee not following the correct process.

In 2020, the Cornwall Council granted planning permission for Wilton's new home, but the decision was later overturned by the High Court. Wilton responded to the rejected planning application by removing the 16 ponies from his land, which were used for conservation grazing on Rame Head and were an attraction for locals and tourists.

The removal of the ponies has raised concerns among the community, as they played a crucial role in managing the unique wildlife and geological features of Rame Head. Both Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council, which share responsibility for Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, have expressed their concerns and requested Wilton to restore grazing as soon as possible.

Councillor Kate Ewert, the joint chair of the Mount Edgcumbe Joint Committee, understands the public's concerns about the management of Rame Head without the ponies. She emphasised that ultimately, how the farmer farms the land is down to the farmer.

The Rame Protection Group has suggested that if Wilton does not want to maintain Rame Head with conservation grazing, he should consider returning the land to Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council. Mount Edgcumbe Country Park is currently negotiating with relevant parties to ensure appropriate land management of the site going forward.

Despite numerous attempts, no publicly available information about the buildings planned by Chris Wilton or about a denial of permission by a high court could be found. The situation at Rame Head continues to be a topic of discussion and concern for many.