Representation by Margaret Elizabeth Anderson
- Date submitted
- 1 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The proposed site is huge, far larger than any others in the UK and larger than Windel Energy and Canadian Solar have completed so far. The farm would be visible from miles around and will be a major eyesore, spoiling the landscape far beyond its perimeter. The panels will be 3.3metres high and there will be 84 large transformer boxes, There will be a 2 metre high perimeter fence with security lighting on masts all monitored via 1320 CCTV cameras. The night sky will be lit up destroying the rural scene and affecting wildlife. 53% of the land is of BMV grade so it is difficult to understand how the proposal meets the government policy that solar farms use previously developed/ contaminated /grade 3b,4 and 5 land. Greatford is on a flood plain and a number of houses have been affected in the past. The development will increase the flood risk due to compaction of the land and concentration of water run off from the panels. No mitigation measures have been proposed and the new footpaths along the West Glen will be impassable in the winter. There are 3 large herds of deer which roam this area so the solar farm will seriously encroach on this and affect their movements and probably result in their injury. Other wildlife will also be adversely affected. Woodland will be surrounded by the panels as will one house which is particularly distressing to the owner. This is a callous act. Surely a compulsory purchase order should be made. Some existing public rights of way will be closed albeit new ones created, none of which will be pleasant walks anymore. There does not appear to be any guarantees over the decommissioning or the ability of Windel Energy to sub let parts of the site, The worry is that if this project is approved further extensions might follow in the future. Given the Chinese involvement one questions the use of Uyghur involvement in the supply chain. We have little information concerning the financial stability of these companies and some of the directors do not have a good record. There seems to be a significant risk that the company could just walk away at some time in the future leaving an industrial mess.