A political dispute has broken out between Conservative councillors and Cornwall Council's Liberal Democrat and Independent cabinet over plans to assess renewable energy opportunities across the council's estate, including its farms.
The Conservative group has accused the Lib Dems of "betrayal", saying the administration "promised Cornish farmers they would protect this estate; instead, they are quietly paving the way to sell it out from under them, field by field, to the highest bidder".
A cabinet member has denied that and accused the Tories of "deliberate scaremongering" and "a lazy party political stunt".
Cornwall Council is working with the South West Net Zero Hub to assess renewable energy opportunities across its estate. This includes schools, car parks, offices, commercial buildings, depots and the council farms estate.
The council says the review is part of its commitment to increase renewable energy generation across its estate by an additional 15MW by 2030, helping to improve energy security, reduce energy costs and support delivery of the council's Climate and Energy Plan.
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As part of the review, the South West Net Zero Hub has secured funding for a study to examine opportunities across the council farms estate specifically. The total value of the commission is £140,000. The work is focused on understanding what opportunities may exist, what constraints apply and where projects may be viable. "It is not a commitment to any specific technology, site or development," the council has stated.
Cornwall's Conservatives issued a statement yesterday (Monday, September 7), which said: "Cornwall Council has begun procuring specialist consultancy work to identify and prioritise solar energy sites across its entire county farms estate, despite previously suggesting only a small portion would be used for alternative energy. A market engagement notice published this month describes the Cornwall element as assessing renewable energy opportunities across the county farms estate, covering technical, planning, environmental, grid and commercial appraisal. Delivery is expected to run from the end of November 2026 to the end of March 2027."
Cllr Martyn Alvey, deputy leader of the Conservative Group at Cornwall Council, said: "This is a betrayal, plain and simple. The Liberal Democrats promised Cornish farmers they would protect this estate; instead, they are quietly paving the way to sell it out from under them, field by field, to the highest bidder. Tenants without even a written agreement are now watching their land assessed for solar panels rather than their futures. This administration has shown its true colours and Cornwall's farmers will not forget it."
The renewable energy review follows a six-month inquiry by the council's sustainable growth and place scrutiny committee, which reported in June after hearing evidence from the Tenant Farmers Association, the National Farmers Union and the Country Land and Business Association.
"The inquiry concluded that [the number of dairy holdings on the estate must be reduced](https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news
Row Over Cornwall Farms Energy Plans Sparks ‘Betrayal’ and ‘Scaremongering’ Claims