Representation by The Events and Tents Company Ltd (The Events and Tents Company Ltd)
- Date submitted
- 2 March 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
N.B. The Below Points are Not weighted in order of Listing Size of Proposal, Actual need and ability to perform: Mallard Pass if passed for Planning would be the largest Solar Plant in the UK to date. Full and proper consideration is required to assess the greater impact this project would have because Solar is incapable of replacing fossil fuels without causing extreme environmental harm in the manufacturing, construction and de mobbing phases. Solar energy is extremely diffuse, it takes a large amount of resources, spread over a wide area in order to collect a large amount of energy. Solar energy is variable and don't supply energy on demand. In the last year to date (02/02/23) Solar production has supplied and met ONLY 4.4% of UK Energy. (source [Redacted]) It is therefore questionable if this development is required for Energy or for Profit. Solar Panel Glare: The site is near many residents houses and businesses and roadways. Glint and Glare and Flicker can cause, Evidence shows effects and triggers with Neurological conditions. As a site that has a Long Boundary to this potential development it is unacceptable for Health at both home and work to be massively impacted and NO engagement by the Developer has been received despite informing on numerous occasions. Glare from solar panels can represent a risk to drivers in an area already suffering a high level of road accidents. Further more evidence shows that birds can mistake solar panels for water, resulting in major disruption to their habitats. - Local Economy and Business: OURs and other Local businesses reliant on the tourism / visitor draw of the great outdoors, nature and Rutland and South Lincolnshire will suffer. There will be little / if any during the Construction phase once people suffer the traffic and noise– more likely hindered and damage putting people of visiting, and once built the Containers, fencing 13m high building, aesthetics and loss of scenery, noise and hum certainly will. Screening is always used as the mitigation. To hide the ugliness. There is NO Direct benefit to the local economy or Villages from this planned development. Compulsory Acquisitions / Purchases: The developers intent to request compulsory acquisition rights, on Bourne Rd, was not made clear during the consultation period. Routing of Cabling back to Substation was always described by under the land the planned scheme was using. This seems a deliberate misrepresentation included at the last minute. Furthermore the planned extinguishing of rights of access was again hidden by the developer until final submission. Removal of Agricultural Land: This application does not satisfactory mitigate a loss of this asset on this scale and does not commit or guarantee that the land will ever return to food production. This land is suitable for growing other diversified crops or fruits which would mean this land could stay in Agriculture- Furthermore Wind Turbines would mean the Land could still be farmed with Crops or Livestock underneath, and benefit with significantly better Energy generation. BMV Land: Government guidance is clear that energy projects should not be built on BMV land. The level of BMV land on this site exceeds this and therefore a clear breach of Government guidance by the developers. The Testing of the land to make the required grade amounts is also in question and should be cross examined. Substandard or Overlooked Assessments/ Data gathering: On the one hand little or total disregard to gathering and presenting data regarding topics that would have more detrimental effects on residents e.g. Health and Glint and Glare but also the limited snapshot undertaking of research e.g. Traffic movements which for the construction and demobbing of this site are inadequate and fail to demonstrate the magnitude of the disruption and disrepair the local area will face. Traffic: The arterial road network is already busy during the expected commuter and school times with out adding disproportionate volumes of construction traffic for extended periods of time creating a Negative impact. The Road Quality in many places is in a just about serviceable state, as the Development bares NO local benefit It should not be a further expense shouldered by our councils. The amounts and types of loads will invariably create Road Safety Issues. Timescales and demob: Currently the Developers have failed to state a time line for end of life of the site. Again The Developers have been very unclear as on so many statements and unable to answer how and when they will return the sites. The unfortunate legacy of this industrial creation could leave the local villages with a Solar Graveyard. Flood Risk: There are existing flood risks and a flooding history in this area that has not been adequately considered in this application. Furthermore the run off from the panels will contribute to exacerbating this. Poor Consultation: Throughout the developers at consultation have failed to engage in good faith and honesty with the Villages or to Individuals. From personal experience and having been ignored or not responded to on numerous points raised, There is a total breakdown of trust and good faith. Misleading Consultation Summary: The consultation summary submitted by the developers in their application is inaccurate in several areas, including misleading and false claims over topics discussed with me in meetings. [Redacted]: There are substantial concerns over the financial record of [Redacted] leadership team and their inexperience to construct a project of this magnitude. Local Opposition: Our MP's collected nearly 2500 signatures for a Parliamentary Petition against the development so far as a sign this is not wanted. Essendine Village – Most affected village has a population of 451 Human Rights Abuses in Supply Chains: There are well documented accusations against [Redacted] for human rights abuses in their supply chains, particularly concerning Uyghurs. It would be wrong to have this AND any other development built with this in its heritage. Loss of Natural Environment: There are concerns that the applicant’s assessments of the impact the development would have on the landscape are flawed. There is currently a technical landscape and visual assessment underway but more investigations are required to ensure any long-lasting changes to the land are properly considered. Damage to Biodiversity: The construction of the solar farm and the damage to ecosystems and habitats already existing in harmony with its surroundings will take years to reset. These farms already have well established Entry level and Stewardship schemes - Why upset it!! The area is home to a plethora of wildlife, particularly rare wild bird species. The assessments taken by the developers have not properly explored the impact this development would have on these rare species. Like the traffic surveys they have taken a snapshot in time not an understanding of what is actually here. Some species have been missed altogether. Carbon Benefit: IF YOU WANT TO REDUCE CO2 EMISIONS / ENERGY USAGE- DON'T BUILD IT! There are questions over where the panels will be built and with what energy and materials used . In China for example it is not uncommon for panels to be built using power generated by burning coal. When shipping is considered of all the other components and the build and decommission, This project can't actually have a net-carbon benefit?