Plans to install a solar farm and battery storage in fields close to St Austell have attracted objections from local councillors concerned about the impact the development could have on an area of outstanding natural beauty.

A planning application for the solar farm on land at Tregorrick Farm has been submitted to Cornwall Council by Mr M Hilditch.

It is due to go before the council’s central sub-area planning committee on August 31 and planning officers have recommended that the plans should be approved.

However local councillors have raised concerns that the solar farm could impact on a neighbouring area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).

The 6MW solar farm would generate enough power for 1,260 homes and there are plans to export some of the power to a nearby sewage treatment plant.

In addition the applicant is in discussions with nearby St Austell Rugby Club and St Austell Community Hospital about supplying power there as well.

A report set to go to the committee states: “The provision of renewable energy, particularly at a time when the Government and Cornwall Council have declared a climate change emergency, weighs heavily in favour of the proposal. It is very important for the planning system to support the desired transition to a low carbon future and the renewable energy output proposed by this application would help to address this target.”

The report states that while there is an AONB 200 metres from the development site officers consider that the impact on the AONB would be “minor-moderate adverse”.

However local Cornwall councillor Michael Bunney objected to the plans and said that he felt that there would be more than moderate harm to the AONB.

James Mustoe, former Cornwall councillor for the area, also objected saying that he felt that the solar farm would “dominate” the skyline for people walking in the local area.

He also said that the site was a greenfield and it would be better to use brownfield sites for such a development.

Pentewan Valley Parish Council has also objected saying that the site is on a slope when planning guidance suggests that solar farms should be located on flat sites.

The parish council also said that the development would be “industrial creep into a rural setting”.

The Cornwall AONB Unit said that it did not need to provide comment on the application as it was outside the AONB.

A number of objections had also been submitted from members of the public, mainly about the impact on the AONB, landscape, environment and loss of agricultural land.

The central sub-area planning committee is due to discuss the application when it next meets on Tuesday August 31.