Representation by Helen Louise Britton
- Date submitted
- 1 March 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I do not support the development of Mallard Pass solar farm for the following reasons:- 1. The development represents a waste of valuable natural resources in terms of productive farmland. Solar panels should first be mounted on commercial roof space where the electricity they generate can be used without transmission losses, building over vast tracts of valuable, productive farmland will reduce the UK's food security, at a time when we should be concerned more than ever about it. Energy security is of course another pressing issue but this can be solved with better use of other spaces (roof tops, brown field sites etc...) and where necessary using smaller areas of farmland for on shore wind which is much more productive per hectare of land used. I also find the argument that solar power generation and agriculture can co-exist somewhat spurious, especially when it is measured in calories produced per hectare. 2. The scale and density of the development also represents a significant loss of habitat, particularly for the large mammals such as deer & brown hare which need open spaces. 3. Open spaces are also a valuable asset for the local population, if this development is approved it will result in the loss of many open views that are accessed by the local community via public rights of way across the site, and while I accept these will be retained, the views will be irrevocably changed. This will impact upon the health and well being of walkers, horse riders and cross country cyclists that use these popular routes. 4. As a resident of Greatford I am also concerned about the quantity of water running off the panels and how it may affect the flood risk for our village. Around half of the rainfall that was received equally across the whole area will now be received by the solar panels and then concentrated to where it runs off the panels and onto the soil below the lower edge of the panel (similar to a roof). If the soil here cannot soak up this increased volume of water it will run off the land, into the West Glen river and find its way to Greatford much more quickly than is currently the case. There is great concern in Greatford that this aspect of the development has not been acknowledged by the developer and I wish to raise it here. 5 Greatford also suffers from too many HGV's using the village and its surrounding roads as a short cut to avoid hold ups (eg: level crossings on the East Coast main line), and this is despite routing agreements being secured by section 106 agreements for much of this traffic. We are fearful that movement of materials, machinery and personnel to and from the site will lead to an increase in traffic on poorly maintained B roads around Greatford and other villages, and this will be especially the case if the developer digs up long stretched of the Bourne to Stamford road to lay cables along it. 6. Finally I am concerned about the issue of sourcing the solar panels and other infrastructure from China, and in particular by a company that has been associated with Uighur labour camps (as high lighted by Rutland MP [Redacted]), and that has been sanctioned in other countries because of this.