Prince William teams up with unlikely Love Island star to battle developers

Prince William and Lucie Donlan have joined forces to fight against a developer's plan to build seven £1m luxury villas on a cliff top in Cornwall.

The future King, 41, and former Love Island contestant, 25, have teamed up to help local residents battle plans to build seven second-homes on a cliff face overlooking Whipsiderry beach in Newquay.

Locals fear the heavy-duty construction work – deemed necessary to stop the luxury properties falling into the sea – would destroy what is a vital haven for wildlife.

Plus they also claim the building work could endanger beach-goers. Protesters have claimed that the initial excavation work has already caused 1,000 tons of rocks to fall onto the beach below.

Model and surfing star Lucie, who starred on ITV2 hit dating show Love Island back in 2019, was among the protesters in a demonstration held earlier this year.

Those who took part defiantly linked arms to try and stop attempts by diggers to begin excavating the caves below.

At least 150 people attended the protest in March including Lucie who wrapped a Cornish tartan scarf around her neck on the chilly yet sunny day.

But work was only stopped when Prince William, who inherited part of the beach when his father Charles became King, stepped in.

The royal responded to a plea from the protesters to use its "power and position of authority" to stop the destruction.

And William did just that by suspending the licence which permitted builders access to the beach.

The licence was suspended until developers proved the plans were safe and bird-nesting restrictions were being met.

According to Express, Campaign spokesman Andrew Robey said the Prince's intervention was crucial.

The teacher and lifeguard, 38, said: "The plans would ruin the beach, destroy the wildlife, and put people on the beach in danger.

"They're building second homes that'll just be left empty most of the year while there's a housing crisis here. Locals feel betrayed."

Whipsiderry is "the last wild beach in the area", campaigners say.

Its cliffs provide a vital nesting site for seabirds called fulmars and an important habitat for bats, the Cornish chough and kestrels.

Lucie, who starred in season five of the ITV show with the likes of Maura Higgins and Tommy Fury, lives in Cornwall and has been renovating her Cornish cottage with fiance Luke Mabbott since 2021.

At the beginning of the month, Lucie shared their incredible garden transformation on Instagram.

She posted a clip which showed the pair sitting on white garden chairs enjoying a cup of tea while admiring their handy work. Above the table is a row of potted plants and a pergola.

Luke posted the clip with the caption: "When you finish your project and now you get to enjoy looking at it with a cuppa."

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