Representation by Russell Milne
- Date submitted
- 21 February 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am objecting to this application, for these reasons: a. this development will cover approx 2,500 acres of greenfield land, which is good quality arable farmland, which will no longer be available for food production b. this land is inhabited by a great variety of flora and fauna, enjoyed by local people including myself, including rare species such as the stone curlew, all of which will be lost or displaced by the development c. there is no guarantee the land can be returned to agricultural use after the project ends, in 40-odd years time d. this land will be classified as brownfield land and open to commercial and/or residential development e. there is no prospect of long term local employment therefore no local benefit for people and businesses f. it has been shown that this scheme will create more carbon in its lifetime than it ever saves. Solar panels will be imported, so it cannot ever be deemed 'green' and does not help meeting this country's Carbon Zero commitment by 2050 g. I am concerned that Sunnica does not have the necessary knowledge and experience of building and managing a development of this scale h. the battery energy storage compounds will cover 77 acres in total, close to residential properties, making it one of, if not, the largest in the world. What experience does Sunnica have of building and managing these batteries i. evidence shows the Li-ion batteries do catch fire, emitting poisonous gases and are difficult if not impossible to extinguish quickly. These batteries will be sited near houses j. I understand these huge battery compounds will also be used to buy cheap electricity out of the grid, store it and sell it back when it is expensive. This is surely not what solar farms are meant to do - Sunnica are exploiting the local area and desecrating greenfield arable land purely for corporate profits.