Representation by Simon Hope
- Date submitted
- 16 March 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I wholly object to Sunnica's application to build a 2,500 acre solar and batter plant 1. This will devastate a special part of our heritage - countryside will be lost for over 2 generations and a loss of habitat of 100's of species 2. Sunnica have not confirmed or denied whether the solar-grade polysilicon in the panels will be manufactured in the Uyghur region by Muslin slave labour – 45% of the world’s polysilicon comes from that area which is a worry 3. This part of the UK only gets 1600 hours of sunlight per annum – the scheme is actually about buying electricity off the grid during the day, storing it and selling it back during peak hours at a higher price. 4. There are 600,00 acres of industrial sheds with south facing roofs that don’t have solar panels on – why not use them? 5. Covering soli with batteries and solar panels does not improve the ecological systems despite what Sunnica might suggest. Covering 2500 acres with lithium batteries and solar panels (which needs to be recycled) is not green 6. The people of Newmarket have already suffered from inexplicability erratic political decisions – in 2020 Robert Jenrick, then Secretary of State for housing, blindsided Matt Hancock and granted planning permission to build 400 houses and five hectares of industrial development over one of Newmarket's most historic studs, Stanley House Stud 7. There will be no meaningful local employment resulting in no local benefit 8. Property values will be affected forever