Representation by Susan Swaffer
- Date submitted
- 4 March 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I wish to object to the Sunnica application/scheme for the following reasons. Firstly the land which they wish to cover is extremely good quality farm land, vital for food production which our country needs now more than ever to keep the carbon footprint down and being more self sufficient. Nothing infuriates me more than seeing vegetables and fruits being imported when this could and should be grown on our doorstep. This is a major point the government should be looking to pursue net carbon zero. Our land in this area drains superbly and grows first class crops, unlike some of the fenland which is now so waterlogged at certain times of the year making it impossible to farm. Covering our valuable land with alien looking panels will destroy this land forever, environmentally and visually. It will affect wildlife and cause unnecessary pollution during construction, also causing chaos and upheaval on local country roads which will struggle with heavy construction/plant vehicles. I also believe the massive concreted area’s and 2500 acres of panels will stop the natural flow of rainfall, causing flooding. Surrounding beautiful country villages with these panels is just wrong, not only does this put us all at risk if the worst were to happen with a fire (as has happened in Australia) causing lethal poisonous gases which cannot be put out, it will also devalue our homes which is something none of us can afford to happen. This is not a Green Project, it’s an ill thought out and preposterous project displaying zero empathy or thought on how this will affect the local communities in so many ways. A Green Project would be to cover the acres of industrial buildings/homes with solar panels, something we tried to do, but were ignored because we were in a conservation area, now we are faced with this? Please leave our land to do what it does best, producing food, feeding livestock, giving wildlife a home and a green space for the eye to see, promoting good mental health and well-being for all. If solar energy is our future put it in the right place and somewhere where it will benefit us all, not on our valued and much loved beautiful countryside ?