Cornwall farmers protest in Truro against solar farm plans

Farmers and rural residents have been protesting outside New County Hall in Truro to show their opposition to solar farms.

A group of residents near Carland Cross on the A30 joined by members of the Farmers Movement Cornwall and Carland Action Group are angry about a plan by Downing Renewable Developments LLP to build a 125,000-panel solar farm near Fairpark, by the A30 between Carland Cross and Landrine.

Residents of the Carland Cross area are fearful that if permission is granted for the 210-acre solar park it will severely impact food production, local businesses and the beauty of a sprawling green valley.

There are also concerns the 125,000-panel solar farm will exacerbate flooding in an area which is already hit by run-off from fields during heavy rain. Around 300 people have commented against the scheme on Cornwall Council’s online planning portal.

Downing Renewable Developments LLP has applied for permission to build the farm, Fairpark, near the A30 between Carland Cross and Landrine.

The energy facility, near Trispen and Mitchell, would have a generating capacity of 49.9MW and run for 30 years. Battery storage and inverters, sub-stations, security cameras, fencing, access tracks and landscaping are also proposed.

The company behind the plan says the solar farm would actually improve the countryside in the rural valley rather than ruin it. Following a 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. Wildlife will still be able to remain underneath those panels and have a thriving area to live within, so it’s actually making it better.

“Our biodiversity net gain is a 148 per cent increase, so habitats are improved rather than reduced. We’re going above and beyond as the guidelines only set out a ten per cent increase.”

Colin and Terri Howes live in a house at the bottom of the valley. “There’s a well-recorded flood plain here and the road floods regularly,” said Mr Howes. “It’s a scientific fact that water running off solar panels causes flooding. Our ground is prone to flooding anyway. It will put a tremendous strain on the area.”

Charlie Gould, a farmer who lives within the heart of the site, has myriad objections to the solar park but his main concern is also 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. 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.”