Newquay's famous surf will not be spoiled by the proposed 'Wave Hub' at Hayle, it was claimed this week.Concerns had been raised that the device - which generates electricity from wave power - would damage the quality of surf along the whole of the north coast.
But the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) said Newquay would not be affected even if other beaches further down the coast saw a drop in swell.
A new report - commissioned by the SWRDA and the British Surfing Association and published by oceanographer Dr Kerry Black - into the potential impact of the hub on Cornish surfing states that in a worst case scenario, some north coast beaches could see up to a 30% reduction in wave height.
But this week Nick Harrington, who commissioned the report, said that Newquay would not be affected because it is too far along the coast. "The expectation is that there will be no impact at all in Newquay," he said.
"The headline figure was 30%, but we are confident in saying in Newquay it's as near to zero as possible."
Mr Harrington said that beaches at St Agnes, Perranporth and Portreath are most likely to be affected. But even at these beaches, the reduction in swell would probably never exceed 13%, he said.
"The headline figure of 30% would only apply if 100% of the wave was absorbed by the Wave Hub," he said. "In order for that to happen, you would need something the size of Lundy Island out there.
"In practice the maximum reduction we would ever expect to see is around 13%. And more likely, it would be around 6%, which is the figure cited in Dr Black's report."
The report, Review of Wave Hub Technical Studies: Impacts on Inshore Surfing Beaches, was welcomed by campaign group Surfers Against Sewage.
Campaigns officer Andy Cummins said: "Dr Kerry Black's review is good news for surfers, for the Wave Hub and for the global fight against climate change."
If it receives planning permission, the Wave Hub would be the first device of its type in the world, providing up to 20MW of electricity to the national grid.
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