Representation by Anne Noble
- Date submitted
- 11 March 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I have worked as an agronomist in this area for many years know that the land is capable of growing a variety of high value food crops. For this land to be taken out of production and replaced by solar panels simply does not make sense when food security is an issue for the UK. The land classification has not followed the correct methodology which means the land grading is questionable- particularly important as policy says BMV land should not be developed. The area of land in the UK growing many of these crops is limited by soil type so it will not be easy to simply gro We also have concerns over run-off from the panels causing eutrophication of the Lee Brook, a chalk stream with several rare species. The land to be used as archeological mitigation has also been designated as areas for the Stone Curlew mitigation. This site is opposite to an area of panels with a very busy road and pathway along two sides- this may not be suitable for the curlews and because of the panels they will need to forage for food over a wider area. The effects of a scheme this size on local biodiversity cannot be judged as there are no other schemes as This is a very poor example of a solar proposal.