Representation by Heather Evans
- Date submitted
- 17 March 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I OBJECT to the proposals for the Sunnica Energy Farm: The Scale of the Energy Farm is massive compared to all existing solar farms. This scheme is projected to take up over 2700 acres compared to a typical installation of 25-200 acres. It will dominate the landscape for literally miles around my village of Isleham and at least four other local villages (for Sunnica East A & B, let alone Sunnica West A & B). Our open landscape will be replaced by fenced-in fields full of industrial solar panels. 78 acres of Lithium ion Battery Storage will bring a huge risk of fire and toxic gases to local populations, primary schools and the environment. The Sunnica scheme plans to use productive farmland (ALC Grade 2 & 3) goes against Government guidance which states that ground-mounted solar farms should be sited on brownfield sites. The Government is also actively encouraging off-shore and on-shore wind farms, rather than solar. The impact on wildlife both during the construction phase and once operational could be disastrous for some species. The scheme will destroy wildlife corridors, nesting and feeding habitats. The public water supply and local rivers will be at risk from contamination as the proposed development site runs over a groundwater source protection zone and crosses rivers and streams. In 30-40 years’ time the site will be due to be decommissioned – Sunnica are not reassuring on how this will be paid for, how recycling will be achieved, how toxic waste will be safely disposed of and how our green fields will be returned to being Greenfields rather than being categorised as Brownfield which in turn would open the door to massive housing schemes or other commercial buildings to be given planning permission. The project is going to take at least 2 years to construct – a prolonged time of disruption to rural communities – heavy goods vehicles with abnormal loads on country roads, let alone the increased number of car journeys for construction staff. (There are no viable public transport options in this area!) The proposed operational life of the solar farm is 40 years – it won’t be returned to green fields in my lifetime…. If it ever is. I chose to live in a rural area, and I wish to live out my days in a rural area – not in the middle of an Industrial scale power plant! Who is going to pay for the decommissioning? Will any of the materials used be able to be recycled or are they going to end up in landfill? What toxic chemicals and post-industrial mess is going to be left? It is highly likely that the fields used by the solar farm will end up being reclassified as brownfield sites, which will open the area up to further housing or commercial development rather than returning the land to agricultural use. The decommissioning stage is expected to take 12- 24 month – another long period of disruption to our rural communities.