Representation by Claire Mills
- Date submitted
- 21 February 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
My parents and my sister’s family moved to Worlington and Red Lodge respectively in the last six years and were assured by their solicitors that the area surrounding their houses was designated as countryside. There was no possibility of the land being used for housing or commercial development. Therefore my immediate family is directly affected by the Sunnica proposal. My parents,[Redacted] , are finding the stress and anxiety unbearable in relation to this behemoth proposal and planned destruction of the beautiful countryside surrounding their property and the local environment in favour of millions of solar panels and worse, battery storage facilities. This has already had a detrimental impact on their health and wellbeing. Furthermore, in 2021 my parents needed to downsize due to my mother’s [Redacted] and found it impossible to sell their house. Their agent confirmed in writing that willing purchasers were unable to proceed due to the planned Sunnica development and the consequent possible decrease in property values. I am also very concerned about the safety risk to my family posed by the battery storage facilities which are in close proximity to both houses on the proposed plans. I therefore object to the Sunnica proposal; on the grounds of the scale of the project with 2,800 acres of food producing farmland being lost and becoming an industrial complex consisting of approx 1.1 million solar panels and associated facilities, and 3 large sites with a total of 75 acres of battery energy storage cabins. These pose dangers to human health with risks of fire, explosion and toxic plume. I wish to inform the planning inspectors by Written Representation of a number of items within the Development Consent Order that I propose to comment on in detail, with supporting evidence. The following is a list of those Apps within the DCO. • The risks to human health from battery fires – these have been proven unsafe both internationally and in the UK • The proximity of the planned development to residential areas - the recommendation for battery installations is within a 10 mile radius of residential properties. • Local fire services - the ability of the two local fire services to cope with a catastrophe relating to battery fires. • Quality farmland – lack of information on alternative sites investigated and concerns that good class food producing farmland has been chosen instead of alternatives. • Decommissioning – lack of national guidelines. Who will be responsible for maintenance of the 40-year leases and returning the 2,800 acres back to farmland and what are the anticipated costs? Sunnica have said publicly they will on-sell the DCO planning consent. • The Brecklands landscape being of historic importance, where most of the proposed development is to be situated, and the consequential loss of habitat for many protected wildlife and birds. • Solar technology efficiency - the Inspectors for Cleve Hill Solar Farm confirmed that the maximum efficiency is at 5km from the solar farm but the grid cable connection at Burwell is 15km from the solar farm.