A CORNWALL Council planning committee has heard residents’ fears that a solar farm on over 25 hectares of agricultural land would have a “devastating” impact on a historic area.

Despite 2,000 people signing a petition against the controversial plan by St Aubyn Estates, councillors begrudgingly approved the application for the solar farm across three fields at Trevarthian Farm, near Marazion.

Members of the strategic planning committee made it clear today (Thursday, April 23) that they were giving the development the nod reluctantly due to the very real prospect of a successful appeal. It was the second time they had discussed the application.

The solar farm will be operational for 40 years and provide enough clean energy for 4,345 family homes.

It will be built in close proximity to Grade II listed Trevarthian Farmhouse and the Tregonning and Gwinear Mining Districts World Heritage Site. The World Heritage office had objected to the plan.

Speaking on behalf of concerned residents, Jane Howells said there was no planning need to develop the site, which she said Cornwall Council has classed as “highly sensitive”, as there are other good solar applications pending to meet renewable energy needs within the county.

She said “the industrialisation of the landscape would be harmfully out of keeping” and would include fencing and 24-hour surveillance – as well as setting a precedent for development of agricultural land in that part of Cornwall while impacting local employment over the solar farm’s 40-year life.

She added that the parish council held a packed public meeting to discuss the application and “everyone was opposed”.

Alison Badcock, who also spoke on behalf of residents, added that the site is in a basin which can be seen from some of Penwith’s historic vantage points, including Castle-an-Dinas and Trencrom. “For the people of Plain an Gwarry who value this special and unique area very much, the change would be devastating,” she told the committee.

Henry Matthews, for St Aubyn Estates, which employs around 200 local people, repeated what he said at the previous planning meeting in February, that the estate’s interest in the project was not “short-term” but rooted in land stewardship “over centuries not decades”.

“We recognise this is a sensitive landscape valued by the local community and is close to important heritage assets,” he added. “That is precisely why this scheme is not the large proposal encompassing 20 fields originally explored during a pre-application inquiry in 2021.

“We listened to public consultation and we are continuing to listen,” adding that changes have been made to the scheme and that footpaths would not be affected.

He said that St Aubyn Estates was not looking to “industrialise” the landscape, but to “diversify responsibly” and support the transition to clean energy.

The meeting was told that since July 2024, the strategic planning committee has refused six solar farm applications with all being allowed on appeal.

Planning officer Mark Broomhead added: “You can clearly see the Government’s steer towards solar as a significant weight in favour.” He believed that if the proposal went to appeal, Cornwall Council would not have a strong defence for refusal.

Committee member Cllr Mike Thomas said: “This is another situation where we as members of a planning committee don’t seem to have a great deal of choice. This seems to be the pattern.

“This strikes me as amazingly feudal – the applicant is the landowner, there’s clear evidence that the people around the area don’t want to see it, but clearly in modern Britain that doesn’t count.”

Cllr Dulcie Tudor added: “I don’t think the council’s Net Zero target of 2030 is logical or achievable, neither do I support solar farms on any areas that could be used to produce food, but I don’t see a planning reason to refuse this application.”

“For a lot of us, our hearts are saying we don’t support this application, but our heads say that ultimately we’re here to ensure that planning policy is complied with and the risk of appeal has been highlighted,” said Cllr Martyn Alvey.

He added that an added danger of losing an appeal could mean the council losing control of the conditions that have been added to the application.

The solar development was unanimously approved.