Farmers fear loss of land if solar farm approved

Farmers have said a proposed solar farm in Cornwall would take away prime agricultural land, if approved.

Residents fear the 210-acre solar park, proposed for the Carland Cross area, would severely impact food production and local businesses.

There are also concerns the solar farm, which would have 125,000 solar panels, will exacerbate flooding in an area which is already hit by run-off from fields during heavy rain.

The company behind the plan said the solar farm would improve the countryside through buffers such as hedgerows.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the application would be brought to an extraordinary meeting of Cornwall Council's strategic planning committee on 21 November by councillor Karen Glasson - due to concerns regarding the use of best and most versatile land, visual impact and effect on local business and residents.

Charlie Gould, a farmer who lives within the heart of the site, said he had many objections to the solar park but his main concern was the loss of agricultural land.

"If we don't address it, we’re going to have a serious problem not too far down the line," he said.

"We're shouting about it and people should listen to farmers.

"We're being encouraged to move away from petro-chemicals on the land, and rightly so, but by doing that and moving towards regenerative farming you're going to need more land to produce less food. So we're getting squeezed on all sides."

More than 100 concerned people, including farmers, attended a meeting at St Erme Community Centre earlier this year to air their worries about the proposal.

After the public meeting, Ameet Juttla, from Downing Renewable Developments, said: "It's not a glass and concrete prison.

"We've taken the wildlife into consideration and undertaken all our ecological assessments, and any form of nesting and birds that are there will remain."

His colleague Matthew Bellward added: "We’ve done more than others would do, in terms of adding buffers to areas that may be of more concern to local residents. In addition to that, we've increased screening in those areas too by adding hedgerows."

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