Representation by Amy Nicola Green
- Date submitted
- 24 April 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
This proposed solar farm will take high quality agricultural land out of production. Not just for solar panels but placing acres of shipping containers on concrete in the centre of one tenanted farm which will require new roads across farmland for access to the battery storage. This will be directly visible from the village and will impact tourist businesses such as Badger's Rest. Loss of earnings to the small businesses of this village is already occurring due to the continued development around us. Two incineration plants, a new housing estate of hundreds of houses, continued commercial development of the A38 corridor, whilst plans for a bypass bridge for the village to serve the nearby towns and expanding housing estates as our single track post war bridge is not up to task, continue to stall after decades. The redevelopment of the Drakelow Coal fired power station site has included solar development already. There is no need to take local farmland to create more, certainly not when we have 12 miles of A38 corridor commercial development of warehouses and car parks which SHOULD have had renewable energy provision factored into their planning permission. Miles of flat roofs and car parks all local to the Drakelow power station, which would be keeping traffic out of Walton Village, not affecting the already overwhelmed Bailey bridge had a large scale solar farm been included in their design. This is where any further solar development should now be considered. We know the lack of viability of solar in a country that has just seen 4 months of rain, we understand it's flaws and the damage it does with components that can't be recycled, and a minimal lifespan too, but accept solar is a factor in our transfer to renewable energy supply for the country as a whole. However it has absolutely no place on agricultural land. Food security is a real risk already with the issues that are occurring globally. Warfare, as well as protests across Europe and the Ukraine, and weather conditions affecting global food production cannot be ignored. Put solar on roofs, not on farmland. Currently our village struggles with flooding following open cast gravel extraction of floodland along the Trent, as well as house building - not one single newbuild house locally has been built with integral solar panels. Why? We have the astounding carnage the failed HS2 railway has wreaked at Lichfield and surrounding area too and several local farm businesses lost to compulsory purchase there. We have 2 incinerators locally, housing estate pressures with flooding and damage to roads and potholes as a direct result of changes to the landscape and amount of traffic on lanes - you can confirm with our councillor Amy Wheelton. We are living in a constant battlefield. Quality of life is being affected for many locals now. Please don't add to this. There are other, better ways.