Representation by Robert Fairley
- Date submitted
- 21 May 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I have serious concerns regarding this development as I feel it will have a devastating effect on the rest of my life. I was expecting to spend the rest of my life at Normans Farm. However, I feel the impact of this project will have a dramatically change the quality of my life and force me to give up my business and my family home. The close proximity of the substations and their size to my home, on top of the latest information to come out about the widening of the country road which goes past our house (at present is 2 and half metres wide but going to be widened to over 5 metres wide) and a dramatic increase in traffic all make living in our home [Redacted] untenable. The increase in traffic here and on the Bentley Road in Lt Bromley, will have a big impact on our farming operations at all times of year but particularly at busy times eg harvest. The laying of the cable will have a big impact on farming operations on the fields its going through, with many fields cut in half making smaller parts to the field, therefore rendering them unmanageable. The depth of the cable needs to be at least 1.2 metres from the surface for us to farm the land after you have finished. The placement of the joint bays and link boxes above ground will also be a big hindrance to have to farm around, with a 40 metre easement, both projects with restrictions with what we can do on top of them, on our land which we now theoretically we do not own. With the haul road being on top the cable route with the amount of heavy traffic using this road I can see how the soil structure on this route will ever get back to normal. The loss of yield will mean profit from any future cropping on top of cable route will decrease dramatically. With all these implications, the decrease in value of our farm, including house and farm buildings, will be catastrophic for us as a business and therefore as a family. I am sure I have missed some points but I will try add them as we go forward. I am devastated by the whole project, not just what it means to us as a family but also with the impact it will have on a quiet, rural and unspoilt area of the countryside. I am convinced there must be better options for the environment and countryside e.g. offshore