Representation by Martine Dantonio
- Date submitted
- 16 March 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Size of scheme is overly large and rather than being located on brownfield site is on productive irrigated agricultural land, some of which is grade 1 but all of which is highly productive and grows a wide range of produce. Contradicts government policy for not using best and versatile land. Uk only 64% self sufficient in food. What guarantees will be offered to ensure provenance of these solar panels: not coming from companies using slave labour? Concerned such large scale battery plants are being proposed before full report on recent fire at Liverpool BESS facility has been released and its findings used to consider Sunnica’s proposal. Too close to villages such as Red Lodge. Why are battery farms being built on green belt land and not brownfield, and further away from people’s homes. Concerned that the battery storage will be used to trade non renewable electricity from elsewhere and re sell back to the grid for vast profit. Any battery storage should be sized appropriately and relate to storing electricity that is generated on the site. Undue burden being placed on these villages and will completely change the landscape and industrialise it. Mitigation measures to grow hedgerows and strips of woodland may help in disguising (in time),some parts of the scheme. However, the loss of many large open swathes of countryside between villages through enclosing them with 15 miles of security fencing and even hedgerows will spoil the open views which contribute to the sense of place, beauty and identity of the region. Concerned that the whole area will become brownfield following decommissioning. What will the likely effect of this be on future use? Also concerning is the size of the proposed site close to Chippenham fen nature reserve, a site of SSSI which will almost border the reserve and involve building a access road close to it. I am concerned of the effect on construction of the site here on wildlife. Any security lights being used will create new sources of light pollution on previously empty and dark countryside, this will also disturb local wildlife which live in and around the nature reserve.