RECENTLY approved plans for a diesel-fuelled power station left a neighbouring parish ‘totally in the mire’, a meeting heard last week, writes Amy Dennis.

Launceston Town Councillor John Conway, was addressing the meeting of the town’s Community Network Panel on September 21.

Those attending the meeting had heard from Cornwall Councillor’s cabinet member Edwina Hannaford, the portfolio holder for planning, and David Edmondson, strategic developments manager, who had briefed the panel on planning matters.

Cllr Conway, who told the meeting he is also currently clerk to Otterham Parish Council, expressed his concern over the recently approved plans for a diesel-fuelled power station near Davidstow.

The Post has previously reported the development of a 20 MW short term operating reserve (‘STOR’) plant, together with associated works, located on land at Tregeen, was approved on July 22.

The plant will comprise 40 diesel-powered generators, and will provide emergency power to the local electricity distribution network. The hours of operation of the plant will be limited to 200 hours per year.

Cllr Conway said he understood an application ‘in excess of a certain number of megawatts should go before Strategic Planning Committee’, adding: “Forty diesel generators were agreed by the officer. It left my parish totally in the mire.”

Cllr Hannaford said: “I think we probably made a mistake on that one.”

Cllr Conway added: “My parishioners have to put up with the rubbish that comes out of your mistake.”

Cllr Hannaford replied: “I think we need to have some better guidance on how we approach this.”

North Cornwall Conservative MP Scott Mann, who has previously expressed his disappointment that particular application had not been called into committee, and who was also in attendance at the network panel meeting, said: “Please get supplementary guidance on diesel farms.”

The meeting heard Cornwall Council had been carrying out some ‘benchmarking’ to see how other authorities are performing — including Shropshire, Barnet and Birmingham.

Cllr Hannaford said: “We were performing better or of a similar level. Our appeals performance is better, we actually have fewer complaints in relation to the number of applications.

“The planning peer review said we serve the people of Cornwall well. I want to be the best we can be.”