Representation by 7000 Acres (7000 Acres)
- Date submitted
- 17 November 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
7000Acres Relevant Representation 1. Summary Introduction: 7000Acres are a group of volunteers seeking to address the fact that our community faces development of solar farms on an unprecedented scale in our region. 2. The engagement and consultation with IP’s and residents and the wider public affected by this proposed scheme has not been consulted in a ‘fair and meaningful’ way as limited engagement has taken place. 3. The Applicant has claimed the need for the Change Request is due to Stakeholder feedback, however, the need to connect into the grid at the Cottam Power Station has been known about from the very early stages of the project and the desire for EDF to develop the site and Bassetlaw District Council to enable Regeneration of the area have equally been apparent for a long time. 4. The need to request a change to the Application, is a result of poor planning and so any further requirement for Compulsory Acquisition is unreasonable and a result of this poor planning. The local area and its residents should not suffer the consequences of this error. 5. The Applicants have submitted a Supporting Environmental Information report to the ExA; however, this has not been made public. Therefore, the public are unable to ascertain the details the Applicant is submitting and as such we are at a disadvantage to make full and informed Relevant and Written Representations to the ExA. 6. The 7000 Acres Group argue that a virtual Hearing to examine this Change Request is not reasonable or representative as the internet connectivity in the rural area is intermittent and many residents do not have the capacity to utilise this facility. 7. The Byway and PRoW’s will be temporarily closed and users will be unable to enjoy the beauty of the area or exercise along the country lane. We are concerned regarding the disturbance to residents, wildlife and the tranquillity of the area during construction and operation. 8. There is a Scheduled Monument in the area of the Change Request Application, the Monument Fleet Plantation Moat Site. This monument is of local and national significance. Measures to protect this asset need to be robust and measures to establish and record further archaeological finds need to be secured in the documentation and fully adhered to. 9. The additional land listed for Compulsory Acquisition exceeds the amount of land to be removed from the scheme and returned to landowners. Therefore, extra land is being consumed and removed from public and private ownership for no National benefit. 10. Documentation produced for the original Application is out of date as the Order Limits are proposed to change. The mitigations for various aspects of the scheme are based on these original documents and findings. We are concerned that the mitigations will not meet the extra needs of the Change Request and so increased harms are afforded. 11. The land to be added to the GBS is a haven for wildlife and bird life.