PROPOSALS for a large solar farm on land near Launceston will be discussed by Cornwall Council’s strategic planning committee this week.

Windel Solar 4 Limited is proposing on building a solar farm on 82.1 hectares of undeveloped or ‘poor quality’ agricultural land located north of Canworthy House, Canworthy Water, Launceston which will be capable of providing 42 mega watts of renewable energy. It is proposed that the development would be in place for a period of 40 years.

It has been called in for discussion by the committee of councillors as opposed to under delegated powers to the Cornwall Council planning department by Cllr Barry Jordan, the council member for the Camelford and Boscastle ward, including area where the planned development will be located.

He has called the development in as a decision to be made by councillors on the committee amid concerns over the plans. Cllr Jordan stated his belief that if approved, the plans would lead to the loss of good farmland, and risks to flooding, highway safety and potential lack of a link to the National Grid which could necessitate battery storage.

In comments submitted as part of the consultation process, he added: “This application if approved would mean the loss of some 230 acres of good farmland, which from time to time is liable to flood, the area already has one solar farm why is there need for another? The access roads through Warbstow are dangerous and very narrow and the access to the site is narrow and also very dangerous.

“There is concern regarding damage to the solar array and one of my biggest concerns is that this application will not have a direct link into the National Grid but the power will be stored in batteries until it is needed.

“I have asked many times about the recycling of the batteries when they are passed their sell by date and no one has an answer, we are making problems for future generations with the mountain of useless batteries allowing acid to seep into the ground.”

Documents submitted as part of the proposals state that if approved, the solar farm could produce enough power to power around 11,000 homes.

Cornwall Council’s planning department has recommended the proposals for approval by the committee, subject to conditions and a decision will be made on August 15.

They stated that in their view while the solar farm, if approved would ‘significantly change the character of the immediate rural landscape’, especially when combined with another, smaller solar farm in the north east, it is within the realms of being acceptable with conditions, not least as the land is not ‘best and most versatile’ agricultural land.