independent Cornish news and comment

Kerrier: Kynance Cove gets 'green' facelift

The Trust said the restoration and enhancement work reflected its commitment to conservation and sustainable tourism.

The historic buildings which form the basis of Kynance cafe now incorporate more than 580 individual photovoltaic solar slates to generate electricity from the sun throughout the year.

Natural wool insulation and solar water heating have also been introduced and the cove, which draws more than 150,000 visitors every year, now has purpose-built "green" lavatories which blend into the landscape with a living turf roof.

The new toilets, which are surrounded by hedges, have their own biobubble - a self-contained, fully biological and ultraviolet treatment system for sewage and cafe waste, to ensure high-quality water standards for beach users.Previously, a visit to the nearest public toilets would require a 15-minute walk involving a climb of more than 200 feet to the main car park.Rob Jarman, head of sustainability at the National Trust, said: "The Kynance Cove project is a good example of the Trust's commitment to using innovative design and green technology to breathe new life into historic buildings and best practice into new o­nes.

"Our ethos is to find the best available solutions to minimise the impact of buildings o­n the environment while maintaining their historical integrity."

Our energy policy is based o­n the fundamental requirement to use less energy, whilst also substituting renewable fuels for fossil fuels."