OPPONENTS of a 44-acre solar farm plan at Callington which was approved by Cornwall Council last week may seek a legal challenge.

Cornwall councillor for Callington Andrew Long is meeting with residents of the Haye hamlet this weekend, to discuss what happens next following the approval of the Sunpower Corporation UK proposal for Haye Road by eight votes to seven, with two abstentions.

The controversial plan was opposed by the town council because members said it would be visible from a large area, including Kit Hill, which is well used by walkers and tourists.

The council was also concerned the project would be sited on prime agricultural land.

Mr Long said this week that he was disappointed by the decision, however, opponents were looking into seeking a judicial review over the decision.

'Some of the information in the application and in the officer's report could be conceived as not a planning consideration,' he said.

He was referring to the information about Sunpower Corporation UK putting £25,000 into the local economy for 25 years for sustainable projects and low carbon living.

'Community benefit is not a planning consideration in any application and councillors may have been persuaded to vote a different way as it appeared to be given as a reason for the development,' said Cllr Long.

The planning decision had been delayed to allow a site meeting.

Mr Long said the vast majority of councillors who had originally supported the scheme had changed their mind and voted against the application once they had been to the site, and seen the potential impact of 15,000 solar panels on the landscape.

The councillor said if the Government went ahead with the lower feed-in tariffs it had proposed, the solar farm at Callington was not likely to be viable anyway.

Opponents have 42 days after planning permission was granted to apply for a judicial review.

Some 30 solar farms have been approved across Cornwall over the past year and seven are currently under construction.

Sunpower Corporation UK was unavailable for comment as the Times went to press yesterday (Wednesday).