A prominent Newquay hotel’s plans to erect a solar panel array have received opposition. 

The Headland Hotel has submitted a planning application to install five ground arrays of photovoltaic panels totalling 464 units within its grounds to reduce energy costs. 

But residents, Newquay Town Council, Countryside charity CPRE Cornwall and The Victorian Society have objected to the plans due to concerns there is “insufficient information” about how the scheme would impact the vista and the Grade II listed building. 

Scott and Company, on behalf of the Headland Hotel, said in response the solar panels will have a limited visual impact on the hotel and setting of the building. 

WMW Consultants Ltd, which has been instructed by local residents to comment on the planning application, stated: “On the basis of the limited submissions published to date, the proposed development is not justified in this sensitive location and would result in unacceptable harm to neighbouring amenity, landscape harm and adverse heritage impacts with no adequate mitigation or justification proposed.” 

Joanna Kenny, chair of Newquay Town Council’s planning committee, added: “Members fully applaud the intention to reduce the carbon footprint of the Hotel through investment in renewable energy sources. 

“However, whilst the visual impact on the listed asset may be limited, concerns exist that the installation of the proposed PV array may cause harm to the wider, locally valued landscape.  

“Newquay Neighbourhood Plan seeks to preserve the beauty of the town’s valued landscapes and, given the importance of the location, a visual impact assessment appropriate to the size and scale of the proposal should be provided.  

“In addition, members would encourage further investigation of measures that could break up the visual bulk of the array to make it less intrusive on the landscape.  

“Concerns also exist that the public would be able to able to access the array and, if this were the case, there needs to be some consideration of how this could be safely managed/prevented.” 

A spokesperson for The Victorian Society said: “The Headland Hotel is a significant Grade II listed building by the noted Cornish architect, Silvanus Trevail.  

“In principle the Victorian Society could accept the installation of some solar PV panels on the site, but this proposal raises concern.  

“Firstly, the installation of so many solar PV panels in such a prominent location would harm the setting of the listed building. 

“They would also be highly visible from within the hotel building and detract from the special character of its setting.”

Paula Johnston from countryside charity CPRE Cornwall said: “There is insufficient detail regarding connections to the hotel or to the grid and insufficient detail generally regarding the degree of elevation of the panels etc properly to assess the visual impact.  

“This is not just upon the Grade II listed hotel itself but in more distant views from the Pentire headland on the other side of Fistral beach and the locality and neighbours generally.” 

Scott and Company, on behalf of the Headland Hotel, argue the benefits of the solar array on the building’s carbon footprint far outweigh any visual disturbance that may be caused.  

A spokesperson said: “The panels will be located on the ground on low profile framing systems.  

“The panels are required to reduce the electrical load on the building incorporating zero carbon systems into the hotel power supply including the provision of batteries to store energy.

“As with all businesses the cost of energy is rising significantly and therefore in order to reduce the impact of this reducing fuel costs and increasing efficiency is critically important.  

“The arrays will be located between the playground and the neighbouring apartment building.  

“On the north side is a stone wall / hedge that borders up to lane leading to Towan Headland. To the south is recreational land belonging to the hotel.  

“The installation is well away from the historic asset and being a low profile ground based system is concealed by the stone hedge / wall on the north side. 

“There will be limited visual impact on the listed asset and the panels will have minimal impact on the setting of the building. 

“Indeed the arrays will not be visible within the primary vista of the building on approach from Headland Road and the main drive to the car park.” 

Cornwall Council’s central-sub area planning committee is due to make a decision on the plans at its forthcoming meeting.