Representation by Essendine Parish Council (Essendine Parish Council)
- Date submitted
- 26 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Parish councils
Essendine Parish Council strongly oppose the Solar Farm project. It brings only negative impacts to our community and unacceptable upheaval for the very inefficient production of electricity. Constructing a Solar Farm (to provide a limited amount of electricity from a system that is expected to be 11% efficient) on three sides of Essendine is swapping a global environmental crisis for a local rural environmental disaster. Loss of Best and Most Valuable Farm Land - currently the Solar Farm site is planned to be sited on 40 plus percent of Best and Most Valuable agricultural land. This land has been farmed for generations contributing to the food chain. Using Best and Most Valuable farm land for Solar Panels is not wise when the UK needs to more mindful of its food security and the ever rising costs of imported food ingredients. In August 2022, Rishi Sunak said “On my watch, we will not lose swathes of our best farmland to solar farms.” Loss of any Farm Land - to a Solar electricity generating plant that is only 11% efficient is not wise when the UK needs to be ever mindful of its food security and the ever rising costs of imported food ingredients. People living in rural villages may already not have many amenities (i.e. Essendine has already lost its village shop and pub in recent years). It is unacceptable to lose field surroundings as well. Essendine village - 201 homes - would almost be enclosed by solar panels. Principle -The construction of a 2000 plus acre Solar Farm in a rural agricultural area, with woodland and open fields is not in keeping or appropriate to the look and feel of the local rural environment. Overshadowing - The proposed Solar Panels are too high at 3 metres plus and the installation of hundreds of CCTV cameras will negatively affect the people that use the area as an amenity. Disturbance – The two year plus construction period with up to 400 workers per day working six days a week for 12 hours a day will destroy the rural area and the small roads used by many as a local amenity. The construction traffic and noise will negatively affect the many walkers, runners, cycle and horseback riders that frequent the locality. Children’s safety will be compromised especially when crossing to enter and or exit the school buses that take them to school. Noise created by the operating plant and equipment (should the Solar Farm be built) will affect the people of Essendine. Overbearing – The scale of the proposed Solar Farm at 2000 plus acres is extraordinarily large with its boundaries stretching for miles. Layout and Density – the proposed Solar Farm will require approximately 80 shipping container sized buildings to accommodate transformers and container invertors plus additional equipment and technology to manage the site. These buildings will be a visual blot on the landscape and are not in keeping with the rural environment. Out of Character – The areas in and around Essendine are agricultural not industrial. Essendine is home to two small industrial estates that house small businesses such as carpenters, kitchen designers, lighting specialists, a gym, a children’s play centre, vehicle garages and storage facilities. All of these small local businesses are hidden from the village, due to the topography of the landscape they are hidden in a valley. Adding a 2000 plus acre industrial zone to three sides of a small agriculturally surrounded rural village with 350 residents is not in keeping with the character of the existing environment. Substation – The construction of manmade structures approx 13 metres high that are visible from the A6121 will create an industrial eyesore in a rural agricultural environment. Road Safety – Is an issue in all local villages, adding to the risk with the addition of hundreds of Transit type vans and HGV’s for a construction period of two years, plus the required ongoing maintenance of the proposed Solar Farm in the next years will add increased road risk to the children, elderly and people that use the area as a relaxation amenity. The small local roads do not have public footpaths installed traversing roads with increased construction traffic creates an unsatisfactory risk for both driver and pedestrian, cyclist or horseback rider. Drainage and flood risk – The Solar Farm will be built of 500,000 plus Solar Panels, these panels will be fixed to the ground with enormous amounts of concrete and or drilling stakes into the ground. These fixing methods will disturb the existing rain water management of the land and create potential flooding risks in Essendine and the wider locality. Human Rights Infringement – The developer states in their DCO submission “The order has the potential to infringe the human rights of persons…” The residents of Essendine are fortunate to have laws in the UK that protect them from Human Rights infringements. Essendine Parish Council object in the strongest possible terms against any organisation that wishes to construct an industrial facility that will infringe human rights. Compulsory Acquisition – The developer wishes to compulsory acquire rights over land owned by Essendine Parish Council. Essendine Parish Council object in the strongest possible terms to these compulsory acquisition rights being granted. This is land that is owned by the public for the public, its rights should not be given away to any individual or corporate body. Loss of public and local recreational amenity – The residents of Essendine and the walkers, runners, cycle and horseback riders that frequent the locality and the currently infrequently used, by vehicles, roads as a local amenity will lose the current amenity that is provided by unfenced agriculture fields and hedgerows. During the construction period hundreds of Transit type vans, heavy construction equipment and HGVs will be using these roads with the effect of halting the unfettered access to this great amenity we currently have. Public Rights of way compromised – Existing rights of way will be moved/changed. These rights of way have existed for years and are used by Essendine residents and members of the public use them as a health enhancing amenity. Biodiversity - Effect on trees/wildlife/nature – the existing biodiversity is extensive and has naturally evolved over thousands of years, the area is home to many wild animals including red kites, badgers and herds of deer that roam freely. This existing biodiversity will be negatively affected with construction, the use of thousands of tonnes of concrete and miles of animal proof fencing to keep the animals away from the solar panels. Destruction of health and wellbeing assets – the residents of Essendine and the wider local population use the area around Essendine as a natural free environment to improve and enhance their health and wellbeing, the construction of the Solar Farm will remove this environmental health improving asset from the arms of the population. The introduction of fenced-in fields, cctv and security lighting will not add any value to the health and wellbeing of the community and in fact will dimmish it. Noise – The developer in their submission states substantial levels of noise will be generated, creation of additional noise is not acceptable to the residents of Essendine. Light Pollution – The develop states the construction period will last for 2 years, 6 days a week, 12 hours a day with up to four hundred workers working on site per day. The winter, autumn, and spring periods (for the working safety of the construction people) will require huge amounts of lighting for long periods of time, creating massive light pollution. Additionally, it is expected when constructed the solar farm will require significant lighting to manage the site in a safe way. Conclusion - In conclusion, Essendine Parish Council strongly oppose the Solar Farm project. It brings only negative impacts to our community and unacceptable upheaval for the very inefficient production of electricity.