Representation by Anna Louisa Maxwell
- Date submitted
- 17 March 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I object to the Sunnica scheme for the following reasons: • I live in Chippenham, and work in the racing industry • The construction phase of this scheme will have a very detrimental effect on my day to day life in the village. For several years we will have hundreds of heavy goods driving through the village which is not designed for this kind of use. This will result in air pollution of the environment and an unacceptable degree of noise. Our quiet High Street will feel like a motorway. I regularly ride my horse through the village and up to Green Lanes and this will no longer be safe for me to do so. • The 77 acres of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are dangerous, particularly as they are situated close to residential areas. The batteries are known to a high fire and explosion risk. These chemical fires produce severely toxic fumes and are very difficult to fight. In the event of fire, large areas would have to be evacuated, with no guarantee that lives would be protected. • I understand that in the event of a battery fire, an area with a radius of 7km would need to be evacuated. This would potentially take in the town of Newmarket, which has billions of pounds worth of bloodstock. There is no way that thousands of horse could be evacuated in a hurry. • The scheme will take nearly 3000 acres of productive farmland. Not only will this result in a loss of food security, but will cause more food miles and thus more carbon used than the scheme will mitigate. • The scheme will destroy the biodiversity of the area. • The visual landscape which is currently attractive, rolling countryside will be turned into an ugly industrial landscape. The view from the Lime Kilns in Newmarket is famous for its uninterrupted view all the way to Ely Cathedral. This will be scarred by solar panels if the scheme goes ahead. • There is no plan for removing the panels and batteries when the scheme ends. Who will be responsible for returning the land to agricultural use?