A PROPOSED solar farm near Callington has fuelled objections from locals.

Energy provider EDF is proposing to install solar panels on 80 hectares of a 126-hectare farmland site either side of the A388.

A public consultation is currently underway until July 31 ahead of a planning application being submitted to Cornwall Council for the 40-year span of the project.

Energy produced would be fed back to a substation at Landulph alongside the main road.

A petition ‘Stop EDF's Unnecessary Solar Farm in Callington’ started by local Megan Herrera has gained 279 signatures. She said: “I’ve lived here my whole life and I don’t think it’s necessary to have a solar farm that large.”

Megan is an electronics engineer and says she doesn’t believe it’s the most efficient way of generating green energy. She explained: “They’re destroying such a large part of the natural habitat, and I know that they claim it’s not, I really can’t see that it isn’t going to be destroying somewhat, part of nature. And it’s just going to be an eyesore. I think it’s over-industrialising a rural area.

A public consultation on the proposed solar farm ends on July 31 with locals asked to feed back to the plans which would see solar panels installed at the site for the next 40 years. (Picture: Sarah Martin)
A public consultation on the proposed solar farm ends on July 31 with locals asked to feed back to the plans which would see solar panels installed at the site for the next 40 years. Picture: Sarah Martin. ( )

“Personally, the number one reason for me that I made the petition is just because I don’t believe in ruining the landscape like they are proposing.”

The impact on the natural habitat is a further concern for supporter of the petition, Sophie Nash.

She said: “I live locally to the fields where the solar panels are proposed to be constructed on, and walk in the area nearly every single day. The fields are home to an abundance of species, many of which have UK red conservation status.”

One example, the skylark, is a ground-nesting bird which requires open fields to breed. Sophie says they have never been recorded breeding in fields with solar panels, even if they used to breed on those fields before construction.

Sophie explained: “While they may still visit the fields, they have lost their value to future skylark generations, which may eventually lead to their local demise.

“I am very aware of the urgency of the climate crisis and need for renewable energy sources, but plead that these are constructed on brownfield sites and on roofs in urban areas,” she added.

EDF power solutions project developer, Bert Bayley said: “We are keen to incorporate feedback from the community into the final design of the solar project and would like to thank those residents and stakeholders who joined us at our recent consultation events to share their views.

“We would encourage anyone local to the project to take part in the consultation that is running throughout July to ensure we can take account of their comments.”

EDF hit a first hurdle with the original project title, Dupath Solar Farm. After local opposition, the energy company is polling on a new name from a list of four suggestions including Wheatear Solar Farm, Golewder Solar Farm, Howl Solar Farm and Viverdon Down Solar.

The petition can be viewed at www.change.org/p/stop-edf-s-unnecessary-solar-farm-in-callington, and feedback submitted to the EDF project team via https://forms.office.com/e/5NryHGBu05