Representation by (Maria) Teresa Natale
- Date submitted
- 3 November 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
REF: OBJECTIONS TO THE RAMPION 2 OFFSHORE WIND FARM AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE I am writing to you as a trustee of land located at Lyminster, West Sussex [Land Registry reference: WSX228882]. This land is directly impacted by the proposed changes to the onshore cable route for the Rampion wind farm and I wish to advise you of my objections. This land has been in our family for several decades. It was originally purchased in the 1960s by my mother Mrs M Natale and her sister in law Mrs A Perella and has subsequently been passed into trust for the benefit of their children. We are a family with this one asset, not a multi-million pound company. I am an individual who is appealing to you directly as to why I object to Rampion 2’s application. I will keep to brief facts but I have all relevant documentation to support the points below should you wish me to forward them to you. 1. My parents were ordinary working-class people who worked hard so that their children could have a better life. As part of their plan, they borrowed money from the bank and bought the above land in Lyminster. Although the land has been used for a variety of purposes over the years, the intention has always been ultimately to sell it for development at a suitable point in time. 2. Their wishes began to become reality in 2019 when we were approached by a number of property developers, promoters and agents interested in developing the land. 3. In 2021 the trustees appointed a land agent, Mr W McLaren of McLaren-Clark Consultancy, to market the land for sale/development. This could not have come at a more opportune time due to my personal circumstances. 4. Once Mr McLaren was appointed, we were immediately inundated with interested parties, developers and promoters who had previously contacted us directly as well as new companies. Mr McLaren looked at all the proposals and presented us with a revised list of 10 companies. Following discussions, we interviewed three different companies all of whom, we understand, had contacts or had had informal discussions with Arun District Council and were confident that permission to develop our land would be granted. I am sure that you are aware of the shortfall in the number of houses that have been built in this area and Arun District Council need to provide in the region of 7000 units. The developers were so confident that our site would be a suitable plot that they were prepared to pay the necessary costs for the planning application and all the work involved. 5. We proceeded with our chosen company and we entered into further discussions with them. They made three separate offers, each time increasing the amount they were willing to pay for the land. This did not deter other investors contacting us with continued interest in purchasing our land. We were mindful of the area and surrounding houses and we therefore went with a company that did not offer us the most money but a company that would accommodate the biodiversity area required and be mindful of the amount of houses. 6. As far as the trustees were aware, the proposed Rampion 2 offshore wind farm and associated infrastructure route was outlined in 2021 and did not affect our land. At no point did anyone consult us and the first we heard of the changes was notification of the alternative route received on 14 October 2022 which incorporated our land. 7. We had already embarked on the required surveys of our land for the planning application. For example, in September 2022 we had engaged a company to carry out winter ground water monitoring. Despite asking the company to stop work after receiving notification from rampion 2, equipment had already been put in place and its first months results recorded, hence we still incurred charges. 8. We met with Nigel Abbot (who was representing Rampion). We explained our situation vis-a-vis the building situation (something they would have discovered if they had entered into discussion with the landowners as individuals with individual needs rather than treating us as a number and putting a line through our land to suit their purpose). Mr Abbot seemed to be sympathetic and ‘persuaded’ me, despite my reservations, to sign a document giving permission for Rampion to have access to our land. We were told that if we showed willingness to work with Rampion, he could see no reason why Rampion would not work with us and position the pipes to minimise impacting the development of the majority of our land. The alternative was to refuse to sign the SAL at which point Rampion would have statutory power to gain access over our land for a period of 12 months!!! 9. Despite signing and showing willingness to compromise, it was not reciprocated by Rampion.. As trustees, we have subsequently tried to further engage with Rampion and its representatives Carter Jonas to try and establish a compromise that can be achieved by identifying a viable alternative route that passes through the southern side of the land in question rather than through the middle of the site. This would allow us to continue to develop part of our land and would involve minimal disruption or additional cost to Rampion. Furthermore, we have learnt that one of the other landowners has actually proposed an alternative route which would avoid digging up good farming land in exchange for a piece of grazing land. This would avoid our land altogether. However, Rampion have been unwilling to engage in any meaningful discussion on any of our suggestions. 10. Cost seems to be the main reason behind much of their thinking. For a small landowner with a lot of personal, financial and health issues, which I am unable to elaborate on, it is hard to see any reason why a mullti-million pound company is being allowed to treat us this way, leaving us to fight for what little we have, for their own benefit. And to find out that one of their representatives was able to cash in some of their Rampion shares to purchase a £3,000,000 property is hard to take. I ask you to please look at us as individuals and not numbers. Our site is not a piece of grazing land but a site close to development. Thank you.