Lovers of Virginia Woolf’s novels have expressed outrage over a development that will block sea views from her former holiday home.

The five-storey building of 12 flats in front of Talland House in St Ives, Cornwall, was approved in 2009 and work began last week ahead of a planning decision on amendments.

The views across St Ives Bay from the Grade II listed building to Godrevey Lighthouse inspired Woolf to write works such as To the Lighthouse. Local author Patrick Gale called it “a ridiculous act of cultural vandalism.”

Windingbrook Developments said that even with the revised proposals, the scale of the project would remain “approximately the same” as the original plan.

As a child from 1882 to 1894, Woolf spent every summer vacation with her family at Talland House.

Gail said: “This view will be a memory that will last her entire life.

“The view will remain, but what is important is its association with Talland House.

“St Ives should always be associated with Virginia Woolf.

“This view is extremely important and must be preserved.”

Emeritus Professor Maggie Hamm, Vice-President of the British Virginia Woolf Society, said: ‘This landscape is present in all of her modernist novels: Jacob’s Room, The Waves and, of course, [one of her most famous works] To the lighthouse.

“She even called her first home in Sussex Little Talland House, so it’s very important to her.

“That’s absolutely important to the Wolfians who come to the house from all over the world.”

Windingbrook Developments has applied to Cornwall Council for permission for updated planning proposals for the building, which the company is calling Elvan House after the type of granite found on the site.

Managing director Richard Gartside said the revised plans would deliver the same number of homes as the original permission granted in 2009 and “the overall scale and mass of the building will remain approximately the same”.

He said the existing planning permission for the site received a lawful commencement notice more than 10 years ago and remains valid.

Since then, there have been changes in building codes, environmental requirements and renewable technologies, as well as further development on nearby sites, he said.

The updated proposal is in response to these changes, he added.

Pete Eddy, owner of Talland House, said: ‘These developers have invested their own money and of course they have to get a return on their investment.

“Yes, we certainly need more properties, but we need them outside of town and we need them as affordable housing for people and locals to live in.

“The value of this view is the history behind it. It’s Virginia Woolf, it’s St. Ives, it’s Cornwall, it’s literature, it’s all about that book.”

The proposals will be discussed at St Ives City Council’s planning meeting on Thursday.

Cornwall City Council said it could not comment until the planning application was decided.

However, local authorities are expected to make a decision by Friday, February 6th.