Controversial plans to build a new geothermal power plant have been approved despite concerns that it would be "industrialising the countryside". Cornwall Council's strategic planning committee has granted planning permission for the development in Wendron, near Helston.

Geothermal Engineering Limited (GEL) had applied for permission to dig two deep geothermal wells and build a power plant at the site on Lower Crahan Farm. The firm said it could provide enough power for 9,000 homes, the equivalent of all homes in Helston.

The proposals had divided local people with some welcoming the move to generate more renewable energy but others opposing the plans due to the impact the plant could have on the landscape and possible disturbance to people living nearby.

Wendron Parish Council objected to the plans saying that whilst they supported the introduction of geothermal energy they did not believe that it was the right location. They said: "It is strongly believed that the proposed location is unsuitable down to its position in open countryside."

The parish council also claimed that "the amount of power produced will, in the scheme of things, be minimal" and that "it will not help local people".

Councillors heard that GEL had carried out extensive consultation on its plans and had amended the design of the power plant building in response to local concerns. The height of the building had been reduced and it had been designed to look more like an agricultural barn.

Loveday Jenkin, local Cornwall councillor for Wendron, said that she was undecided on the application. She said that she understood the concerns of local people about the impact that the development could have on the area and concerns about "the urbanisation of the rural area".

But she also saw the benefits of providing renewable energy and said that a geothermal plant had a much smaller footprint than solar farms. However, she was still uncertain whether it was the right location for such a development.

GEL had offered to provide an initial £40,000 community fund which would be given to support local projects. However, councillors suggested that this should be replaced with a scheme that provides 5% community ownership of such renewable energy schemes.

Cornwall Council has recently adopted a new climate emergency planning policy which includes a policy that any commercial energy projects which produced more than five megawatts should commit to 5% community ownership. The idea was used for a recent solar farm application near Newquay.

However, planning officers said that there was no guarantee that the geothermal plant would generate 5mw and the council's planning officers and legal officers said it might be problematic to apply the new policy to a planning application which had originally been submitted in 2021.

But, councillors successfully agreed to add a condition that if the geothermal plant does hit an output of more than 5mw then the applicants would have to inform Cornwall Council and set up a 5% community ownership agreement.

Committee member John Fitter said that he had been persuaded to support the application due to the benefits which could be provided through energy production. He said that, in his opinion, the benefits outweighed any harm.

The application was approved by the committee with eight votes in favour and two against.