Concerns over review into council farms estate

Cornwall Council is carrying out a three-month study into its farming estate

Serious concerns have been raised over a review into Cornwall Council's farming properties.

Cornwall Gateway Community Interest Company (CIC) issued a public letter to the authority after the council agreed to carry out a three-month study of its 10,800-acre (4,370-hectare) estate.

The CIC said selling the land, which included 81 farms, might ease budget issues in the short term but any sale could negatively affect food security, public health and rural livelihoods, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council said no decisions on the future of its farm estate had been made and a wholesale sell-off was "absolutely not on the table".

The farms estate is the council's single largest land asset and features 1,600 acres (647.5 hectares) between Liskeard and Blunts village and about 1,000 acres (404.7 hectares) between Mitchell and Trerice in Newquay.

The remainder of the estate dispersed across the rest of Cornwall.

A report reviewed by the council's Sustainable Growth and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee suggested there could be alternative land use for its farms, including the provision of schools, housing and solar farms.

Joy Bassett, director of the CIC, said in the letter: "Farms are not just assets on a balance sheet.

"They are the foundation of our food system and a vital part of Cornwall's resilience."

A spokesperson for the council said the three-month review into the land would "explore whether it can be better managed".

Councillor Tim Dwelly, cabinet member for economic regeneration and investment, said: "There is a review under way to look at how the estate can best support Cornwall's future, but no decisions have been made.

"A wholesale sell-off is absolutely not on the table."