Representation by Susan May Moore
- Date submitted
- 21 April 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Objection to the proposed Oakland's farm solar power project. I object to this development on the basis of 400 acres of good quality agricultural land being wasted on solar panel instead of food production when solar panels can be better utilised on already developed sites such as new housing and industrial development. This will also have a significant impact on the rich population of wildlife population found within the local area through the removal of hedgerows, blocking of natural biological corridors for wildlife and noise disturbances whilst building work is underway, and the glint and glare of solar panels is also likely to disrupt the hunting of many of our birds of prey as well as having a significant affect on the rural landscape and scenery with all of the fencing that will be erected, making the local landscape resemble prison. This will also make many of the rural walks inaccessible to local people. The erection of the sites will also cause significantly travel disruptions to local people living within this area. The roads are already unfit for use by local residents due to road erosion and potholes and the roads aren’t big enough to accommodate increased traffic, especially with larger vehicles. This area does not have the infrastructure to accommodate this development. Roads are also becoming increasingly more likely to flood in recent years due to new building developments. The addition of the infrastructure proposed for this site covering over 400 acres will likely make flooding much worse through the removal of crops/vegetation and trees, removal of hedgerows, natural streams and ponds ect and the addition of hard standing areas for the solar development sites. This in turn will cause more erosion of roads due to increased water runoff from fields onto roads as there will be nowhere else for water to go. The site is also likely to produce noise pollution which will have a significant impact of the lives of residents and wildlife.