Back to list Mallard Pass Solar Project

Representation by Thomas Blenkin

Date submitted
1 March 2023
Submitted by
Members of the public/businesses
  1. LOSS OF PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL LAND I am concerned about this considerable loss of land and inadequate policies to protect it, particularly in the light of the Russia/Ukraine war and the impact it is having with global food shortages and food prices. Government policy through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and draft National Policy for Energy EN3 is clear that ground mounted solar should use previously developed land, contaminated land, industrial land and agricultural land of grade 3b, 4 and 5, not Best and Most Versatile (BMV) land of grade 1,2 and 3a. Following final survey work by Mallard Pass the solar area is 40.7% BMV land, results that needs further validation as the previous survey work concluded 53%. I believe that no large scale solar plant should be approved for development on greenfield land until the collective impact on the environment, biodiversity and food security is fully understood. 2. VISUAL IMPACT I object to solar panels mounted up to 3.3m high spread across 2,105 acre site of open countryside adjacent to many local villages, where I am a resident, and less than 1 mile from Stamford. There will also be 2m high security fencing, CCTV and security lighting to 3.5m around the solar panel fields. Added to that will be inverters and transformers dotted across the site in large unsightly containers emitting significant and constant noise. Many of the so-called screening enhancements will take up to 15 years and beyond to provide a decent level of screening, but this misses the point as the character and beauty of much of this countryside is the long lightly undulating open vista. 3. LOSS OF SOCIAL AMENITY My young family and I enjoy walking and cycling through the countryside, and experiencing the health and well-being that brings to us. We object to the negative experience of walking alongside and being surrounded by what is effectively an industrial plant. Public rights of way are likely be moved or closed during the 2 year construction phase, which could have a significant impact on all users. 4. HABITAT LOSS AND DISRUPTION Mallard Pass give no adequate explanation as to why they need to set aside 50% (1,053acres) of the total site (2,105 acres) for mitigation. They claim the area underneath the panels is more bio-diverse than arable crops, therefore they can achieve their 10% Bio-diversity Net Gain (BNG) target from the solar panel area alone. If that is the case then the scheme could have been more sensitively designed over a far smaller area with a fraction of land required for mitigation and enhancement, with less adverse impacts. Bio-diversity improvements can only be achieved through careful design and ongoing management, with each area requiring a bespoke approach rather than one-size fits all. BNG is being treated by Mallard Pass as a quantitative tick box exercise for habitat creation, rather than having a qualitative approach delivering long term beneficial habitat outcomes. The construction process will take up to 2 years during which time there will be disruption and damage to some of the habitat through construction traffic, new tracks built, compaction of the soil, drilling and piling, noise and vibration. Unless this phase is done with the utmost sensitivity to the environment, it will damage the delicate bio-diversity and takes many years to re-establish if ever at all. Deer will no longer be able to run freely faced with miles of security fencing blocking their natural routes. Not only is the welfare of deer at risk, but that of road users as well. Faced with a reduced area to graze the deer will cause additional damage to ancient woodland, impacting other species, as well as inflicting more concentrated damage to other farmers’ crops. Some badger setts are going to be removed altogether, those that remain will have to navigate their routes though badger gates. Brown hares risk losing much of their habitat also due to security fencing restricting their access. 5. FLOOD RISK The creation of any large scale solar development would increase the flood risk to the local countryside, roads, villages, and outlying properties over a wide area. Mallard Pass know this but have not satisfied the concerns of residents in Essendine and Greatford and have purely focussed on managing flood risk on the site. Laying new tracks and access routes during the construction process to enable the solar panels and fencing to be erected, will cause compaction of the soil across the whole site. During operation ongoing maintenance will cause further compaction to the soil which is already less aerated, reducing the ability to absorb rainwater. The run-off characteristics of rainwater from solar panels is different to rainwater falling straight to the ground. Rainwater falls evenly over a wide area, the run-off of rainwater from the panels would be in concentrated amounts, like rain running into the gutter of a house. When rainfall is heavy, gutters are deluged with water and overpowered. The same is true for the solar panels except the rain would create water channels/gullies in the soil, causing further compaction of the soil, and ultimately speeding up the run-off from the site into nearby fields, roads, rivers and other vulnerable areas such as some local villages. The run-off characteristics of rainwater from solar panels is different to rainwater falling straight to the ground . 6. TRAFFIC DISRUPTION AND DAMAGE The construction phase will take up to 2 years with all HGVs, abnormal loads and workers’ construction traffic coming through or past the outskirts of many local villages, with the major impacts through Great Casterton, Ryhall, where I live, and Essendine. This will create added noise, pollution, and damage to roads and associated verges, as well as extra risk for pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders. It is also likely to disturb the bio-diversity down more rural side lanes. Some of the roads will be too narrow and will require road widening and many special traffic measures. One of the options Mallard Pass is looking at is running the cabling from the solar panels to the new sub-station though Essendine on A6121, ripping up roads and pavements in the process. There will be one main construction compound opposite the current Ryhall sub-station down the narrow Uffington Lane, and a further 6 secondary construction compounds and site access locations, creating concentrations of traffic, noise and disruption in those areas.