⬆️ What a stink! With the dredging comes the sludge, with the sludge comes the marine die-off. And afterwards comes the pollution from the Cruise Ships. Photo: Guy Reece.
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At dawn today, members of Ocean Rebellion staged a protest at Falmouth Harbour, wearing gas masks to symbolise the toxic threat posed by the proposed redevelopment of Falmouth Docks. The action comes just days before Cornwall Council is due to vote on the controversial scheme on 25 September 2025

Protesters say the project — which involves the demolition and construction of a huge new quay infrastructure, and the dredging of 850,000 tonnes of polluted seabed — poses an unacceptable risk to the environment, public health, and the local economy.

⬆️ We ❤️ Falmouth too. But if it gets filled with toxic sludge there won’t be much left to love 🙁 Photo: Guy Reece.

Key concerns include:

– Toxic sediment: Decades of antifouling paint residues, including tributyltin (TBT) and heavy metals, would be disturbed and could spread throughout the Fal estuary, threatening oyster fisheries and marine life.

– Sensitive habitats: Maerl beds, seagrass, and sponge communities. These are rare, slow-growing habitats protected under the Fal & Helford SAC — face irreversible destruction.

– Hazardous waste: The docks’ own estimates suggest 12,000 HGV trips may be required to remove contaminated sediment, creating air quality, traffic, and safety impacts in Falmouth and beyond.

– Cruise ship expansion: While the scheme is promoted as enabling floating offshore wind, campaigners believe the real driver is to deepen the harbour for much larger cruise liners — which bring significant emissions and limited local economic benefit.

Campaigners also point to a serious procedural error by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). In its original consultation letter (18 July 2025), the MMO wrongly stated that the project was not an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development and that no Environmental Statement had been supplied. This was corrected only on 29 August, after consultees such as Falmouth Town Council had already given their views — potentially under a false impression of the project’s scale.

environmental damage is being ignored

⬆️ Soon residents will be enjoying levels of air pollution never experienced before – that’s the gift of cruise ships. Wherever they dock pollution increases. Photo Guy Reece.
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sagte Sophie Miller von Ocean Rebellion:
“This project risks turning our living harbour into a toxic dumping ground. It is being sold as renewable infrastructure, but in reality it opens the door to ever larger cruise ships. Cornwall Council must not wave this through without a proper reckoning of the environmental damage.”

The protest highlights growing local and national concern ahead of the council’s decision. Campaigners are urging both Cornwall Council and the Marine Management Organisation to halt the project until its environmental and social impacts are properly addressed.

Ocean Rebellion demands local and national government consults with residents before wasting taxpayers money on environmentally harmful infrastructure projects. Cruising is an industry which has a negative impact on local economies, as evidenced in Venice, und actively avoids paying taxes.

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