Residents of Playing Place, a village near Truro in Cornwall, have written to Evelyn Boscawen, the 10th Viscount Falmouth, urging him not to sell a field containing two scheduled ancient monuments to developers preparing a housing proposal.
Luxury developer Legacy Properties is reported to be preparing a planning application that could see up to 70 houses built on the green space off Old Coach Road. The field contains the remains of a plain-an-gwarry, a rare medieval amphitheatre that gives the village its name, and evidence of an Iron Age settlement.
A letter from a newly formed Playing Place Action Group addressed to Lord Falmouth, as he is also known, says the community is speaking "on behalf of the community" to ask him to reconsider any sale. The letter, seen by reporters, says the site is central to the village's "unique cultural identity" and warns that once destroyed the historic features would be lost "forever."
"These medieval amphitheatres were once central to Cornish life, used for plays, gatherings and community events," the letter says. "They are part of our unique cultural identity – and once destroyed, they are lost forever. The symbolism of allowing this field to be erased surely cannot escape you."
Members of the action group, including Hillery Cope and Corinne Church, also cited public safety and infrastructure concerns in their appeal. The letter warned that adding up to 70 homes could worsen road safety on local routes, place further strain on the oversubscribed Kea Community Primary School and increase pressure on the local GP surgery. The residents also noted parts of the land are known to be vulnerable to flooding.
The letter refers to what residents say was previous opposition from Lord Falmouth to proposals for wind turbines near his estate, saying that such objections suggested he would appreciate the community's wish to protect the landscape. The letter asks that, as custodian of the land, he consider alternatives better suited for housing and to protect the plain-an-gwarry and the village's character.
Viscount Falmouth succeeded his father on March 7, 2022, and his holdings include the Tregothnan estate near Truro. He is reported to own around 25,000 acres in total. Legacy Properties, described by residents as a luxury developer, is said to be preparing its planning submission in the coming months; officials have not released a planning application at the time of publication.
Playing Place's plain-an-gwarry is one of a limited number of surviving medieval amphitheatres in Cornwall, historically used for performances and community gatherings. Local heritage groups and archaeologists regard scheduled monuments as sites of national interest, protected under law, and any development affecting them typically requires archaeological assessment and planning scrutiny.
Councillors and planning authorities will consider statutory protections and local planning policies should a formal application be submitted. In the meantime, the Playing Place Action Group has asked Lord Falmouth to refrain from selling the field to developers and to be remembered as a "guardian of Cornwall’s past – and its future" if he chooses to protect the site.
No response from Lord Falmouth or representatives for Legacy Properties had been published at the time this article was prepared. Planning officers at Cornwall Council did not confirm receipt of a planning application for the Old Coach Road site when contacted.