Representation by Roger Varian
- Date submitted
- 4 March 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The proposed Sunnica development just outside of Newmarket is an egregious plan that falls short in many ways, which are outlined in detail below. While we understand the need to develop alternative, sustainable energy sources, this development would not deliver that aim in a satisfactory manner. • Size To construct a sprawling development over four separate sites, encompassing nearly 3,000 acres, is palpably wrong. Creating the largest installation of its kind and affecting not one, but four rural areas seems short-sighted and poorly thought out. There will be myriad issues associated with installing such a large farm, and many of these problems are not satisfactorily answered by Sunnica’s proposal. A typical solar farm is around 100 acres, but this installation is on an industrial scale. Again, we understand the desire for such developments, but not of this size. • Use of land Appropriating 3,000 acres of arable land in one stroke for solar energy is misguided. Why is land that is already serving an excellent purpose in the production of crops being taken out of commission for 40 years, and then returned in a likely damaged state. Given the increasing pressure to provide locally-grown produce which in turn reduces carbon emissions, any potential gains made from the solar energy could easily be lost by the costs associated with needing to produce or source crops that could have been grown instead. The arable land in question is being used to produce cereals and vegetables. Should crops then need to be sourced from elsewhere, the associated carbon footprint would grow, which seems directly at odds with the desire for a carbon neutral footprint. Has Sunnica contemplated finding non-arable land for the development? • Damage to Newmarket and the racing industry Some of the proposed sites, notably the Snailwell site, will have an adverse impact on the racing industry within Newmarket. The Snailwell site would border training grounds such as the Limekilns and Railwayland as well as Godolphin’s Chippenham Hill facility. These areas are in use on a daily basis. To have industrial work and the associated heavy machinery in such close proximity to racehorses is a recipe for disaster. The racing industry is worth over £4 billion to the economy annually, while also supporting tens of thousands of jobs. Situating a huge solar farm next to the preeminent training centre in the country could easily have major financial implications for the industry. • Damage to local infrastructure As well as the negative effect the development would have on the proposed sites, to install such a large-scale project would also come at substantial cost to the local infrastructure. Heavy machinery and the associated workforce required operating on a daily basis for months, if not years, will put even more strain on a region already struggling to cope. The development will also categorically change peaceful, rural areas into industrialised zones. This will affect house prices, the local economy and local industry. There is also the considerable cost to local wildlife, with habitats for several species set to be impacted if not destroyed. • Altering the natural landscape Part of Newmarket, and the wider Suffolk/Cambridgeshire area’s appeal is its rural landscape and natural beauty. Such a sprawling site promises to negatively impact several areas. It is too intrusive and needs to be condensed to more manageable proportions. While there is an acknowledgement of screening being installed to help hide the farm, this will not be an overnight fix, and will instead take years according to the Sunnica proposal. • Concerns over use of Lithium-ion batteries There have been instances of the Lithium-ion batteries used to store the solar energy combusting. While these have been localised instances, would the use of such batteries on a much larger scale increase the risk of fire? Again, these fears are not addressed in Sunnica’s proposal.