Representation by Ali Story
- Date submitted
- 1 March 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
My objections to the Mallard Pass proposal are as follows: Sheer scale, it’s too big. Site size of 2238 acres - 8 times larger than the current largest solar farm in the UK. There has already been approval for a solar panel farm nearby at Langham and another 200 acre solar farm application has recently been submitted a few miles away at Exton. Is this whole area going to be designated for housing development and solar panel farms?!! Location is inappropriate, it’s too close to many local villages and market town of Stamford. The historic and natural character of the area will be negatively affected by this proposal - an area that is already being affected by inappropriate levels of housing development. (although we have seen no improvements to our health services, education, road improvements during this time!) Solar should be on rooftops and brownfield land, not greenfield land - why aren't all the thousands of new houses and supermarkets etc in the Stamford area being installed with solar panels …. instead of taking up valuable farmland? Solar should not use valuable agricultural land, particularly at a time of global food shortages and rising food prices. The Government has a food strategy policy of the UK becoming far more self sufficient for food - how does taking away thousands of acres of agricultural land support this strategy? The visual character of the countryside will be irreparably damaged. A rural area already suffering from massive overdevelopment.... and if this proposal goes ahead there will be thousands of additional acres of solar panels up to 3 metres high, security fencing, CCTV and storage containers. Not a landscape that many people would consider enjoyable or providing a positive addition to the Lincolnshire countryside! Increased traffic; this area continues to suffer from massive housing development and additional quarrying activities - with all the related increases in traffic but no improvements to the existing road system. The Mallard Pass proposal will simply add to the transport issues already affecting our local villages and towns - there will be at least 2 years of HGV lorries and other Mallard Pass vehicles moving hundreds of times per day through small villages/country roads while construction takes place. Our roads are already in a terrible condition and the villages are being used as 'rat runs' by cars and HGVs to avoid being delayed on the main roads at places like Tallington railway crossing, Mallard Pass will only increase these existing problems. Walking, cycling and riding around the local area and along public rights of way will never be the same when faced with an industrial backdrop. Who wants to walk down a footpath/ bridleway (or cycle down a country lane) with security fencing and 3 metre solar panels on either side? The government and Health Services have recently been acclaiming the physical and mental health benefits of walking, cycling etc. The Mallard Pass proposal will deter people from wanting to exercise in their local countryside..... in an area that actually needs many more public rights of way/spaces for a population that is increasing hugely. I believe the developers have said they will create a token amount of 2 or 3 miles of permissive ways - this in no way compensates for the loss of thousands of acres of Lincolnshire landscape and ruination of existing public routes. The loss of habitat and impact to wildlife. Hedgerows, Red Kites, Buzzards, Skylarks, Badgers, Hares etc etc. Many birds and animals, including protected species, will be lost in the area as a result of the Mallard Pass proposal. Their feeding and breeding territories will be lost..... the construction process and noise will drive them out and afterwards the land they lived on will be covered in solar panels, not an environment that many species would continue to live in! Yet more decreased Bio-diversity and loss of habitat for our area! Increased risk of flooding - water run off from thousands of solar panels combined with a loss of root systems of agricultural crops creates potential flooding problems across the surrounding area. Huge impacts from 2 year construction process on local roads and the environment. Noise, dust, hundreds of vehicle movements per day including HGVs. Some of this traffic adding to overcrowded roads in Stamford, others moving through small villages to get to and from construction sites. Additional damage to roads that are already in an incredibly poor condition plus increased safety risks for the many walkers and cyclists already using these roads. Heritage and archaeological concerns- many prehistoric , Iron Age, Roman sites exist in the South Lincolnshire/Peterborough area. Mounting solar panels on piles driven 2 metres into the ground will destroy any archaeology evidence that may still survive in the proposed area of Mallard Pass. There will also be a massive visual impact on the landscape that several historic villages are an integrated part of. The villages and their surroundings cannot be regarded as separate items, they blend together to create the landscape that is the essence of our area. There are clearly Human Rights concerns over the Chinese production of the proposed solar panels - plus the environmental impact caused by transportation of products over many thousands of miles. Why would approval be given to a proposal that has Human Rights issues and environmental concerns? (Surely the production of solar panels for any proposed development in this country should be carried out in the UK to create jobs and income and also minimise impact on the environment?) This part of Lincolnshire should be recognised for its wonderful built heritage and landscape - this character is already under threat from ongoing change and does not need the additional negative impact of 'Mallard Pass'. The local communities are against this development and the local MPs don't support it - any planning decision needs to reflect this and respect the views of the people who actually live here.