Representation by Sara Beckett
- Date submitted
- 2 March 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Suffolk is an arable county providing crops and land to raise animals for food both for human and animals alike ~ it is part of the food chain which requires natural resources warmth and moisture not necessarily sunlight as would be the case for this solar farm . Raising the issue of benefit against dis-benefit. This wonderful Suffolk land provides food to the county and country for our own use. This does not involve air freight therefore sustainable and environmentally friendly. It does not make sense to use this rich arable land to grow power. There are other ways in which to make power without destroying land which grows food. In specific terms to the location of this proposal it is just wrong. The area is flat (a characteristic of the Suffolk landscape) and these units will be seen for miles dominating the landscape. In specific terms in relation to Newmarket, which is the historic home of horse racing an industry that is so important to the county, country and the world. The dominance of this project competing in the same vicinity could destroy that industry with associated investment and employment. Suffolk in general and Newmarket specifically is important to Tourism based around the horse racing industry and landscape. People will not want to visit a solar farm built on ancient historic land such as the Limekilns unchanged for centuries which would irreversibly be lost if replaced by an industrial development of this nature. Consultation has been sparse, details of the plan have not been readily available, the scale of the project would cause harm for generations to come. The term of the project being 40 years would not meet the long term future requirement of the energy for this country to satisfy multiple groups. There are other means and ways that have been and are being explored. The quality of the assessments are not sound lacking detail and evidence much without mitigation. Methodology of transport assessments raise concerns and a lack of understanding of the area and associated road networking Technology progresses at speed and to lock this fertile land for 40 years is absurd. It is without doubt that technology will supersede these plans meaning that the land would quickly be classified as brownfield, possibly allowing a change of use and the loss of our arable farming and all that it produces to sustain us would be lost for ever. You cannot grow money.