Representation by Heather McGill
- Date submitted
- 28 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The scale of this development is completely out of proportion to the local area, swallowing an entire village, and impacting many more. The loss of fertile agricultural land is critical at a time when the UK needs to be less dependent on food imports. The local land provides jobs, leisure and economic benefit; the solar farm will deeply change the way the local area currently works and lives. The area under consideration is also a diverse habitat for a number of wildlife, which will be radically changed by the development. There is very little detail as to how habitats, and movement of wildlife will be protected. Greatford area already suffers from flood risk and regular overflow of the local rivers. Again, no information has been forthcoming as to how potential flood mitigation will be put in place, based on the change in run off patterns due to the panels being used. By Government regulations this area should not be under consideration as it is highly fertile land for food protection, yet we are facing the UK largest development, merely due to the location to a sub station. No benefit is being brought to the local area: merely a change in landscape, lack of amenities and significant road traffic distruption.