Representation by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust (Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust)
- Date submitted
- 16 March 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust would like to thank the Planning Inspectorate for the opportunity to become an interested party in this planning application. We have been in communication with West Lindsey District Council and the Cottam Solar Farm communications team regarding this application several times previously. More details of our concerns surrounding this development can be found in our previous comments on this application. To summarise, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust consider the main issues and impacts of this development to be those affecting the habitats and species both on site and the areas surrounding the site, and how negative effects felt here will degrade the integrity of the ecological networks of the wider landscape. A brief overview of our main points of concern: - Ecological site designations considered within, adjacent to or near the site boundary - Construction traffic negatively impacting locally and nationally designated road verges - Ensuring habitat enhancement proposals for less ecologically valuable elements along land parcel boundaries are provided, as well as plans to improve habitat connectivity - Using the surface water flooding maps to best create permanent and temporary wetland habitat - Risks to ecological corridor functionality as a result of the development - Injury or death to various species if moving parts of tractor arrays are included in the design - Potential collision risks for birds associated with reflective solar panels - Retention of all trees showing bat roost potential, and the planting of successor trees to secure perpetuity of connectivity and habitat provision - Wide buffers around watercourses with evidence of water vole or otter presence - Native hedgerow and tree retention and associated buffer zones - Retention, buffering, enhancement and connection of existing native woodland - Use of structural grassland and scrub mosaic margins to create ‘soft’ woodland edges - Species-rich grassland habitat creation and enhancement - Establishing a habitat mosaic within each land parcel and subsequent management - Achieving a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain as a result of this development which would be supported by an appropriate post-intervention habitat monitoring and management plan for a minimum period of 40 years to match the scheme lifetime