Representation by Heather Frier
- Date submitted
- 5 June 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The scale of the 3 component sites of the proposed 2000 acre West Burton Solar project as a stand alone development would be concerning enough but as one of 4 such projects proposed for development, covering 10000 acres in a very small area of the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, not including the Stow Park solar farm being submitted for approval separately to local planning, is utterly irrational and incomprehensible. To concentrate what will in total consume 20000 acres of productive farmland across the whole county, renowned for its contribution to the nation’s own food supply as well as to our exports, makes no sense at a time when food security is under extreme pressure and the cost of imported foodstuffs is at an all time high. As well as contributing to the economy of the country, this high quality agricultural land currently brings employment to the local area, whilst the development of the proposed industrialisation of the West Burton sites will bring neither long term local employment opportunities nor benefit to the communities affected which will receive no compensation in any form for the devastation of their livelihoods, their rural surroundings, communities and way of life and no guarantee that the land would ultimately be returned to them in a condition that would allow these to be restored to them. All of these things will be lost to the area surrounding the West Burton sites by the intrusion of 2000 acres of mechanised solar panels reaching unprecedented heights of 4.5 metres. Precious landscapes will be lost to locals and visitors alike, restricting their access to and enjoyment of the countryside with its wildlife, natural habitats and rural activities, with a known impact on their health both physical and mental. The West Burton sites are nowhere near any grid connection causing further challenges in laying the necessary cable connections causing additional disruption and desecration in this rural area. It feels as though there remain many unknowns which could result in an extended development timescale in which time solar energy might well have been proven an unreliable, uneconomic and ecologically unsound source. Possibly already redundant. Clearly, as a nation, we have to do better in reducing CO2 emissions by generating more renewable energy sources but solar power, even it were reliably to meet its anticipated generation capability, which within a county of poor light quality and short days is known to be unrealistic, is not the only solution and must be part of a range of approaches. There is much to be learned from the off-shore wind energy generation currently taking place on Lincolnshire’s coastline and the subsequent development of small turbines for domestic use. At the same time, the requirement to site solar panels on domestic and commercial rooftops as a compulsory part of the planning application process is a largely untapped source of solar power and certainly should be implemented ahead of decimating our countryside and threatening the country’s food supply. So how can the creation of an overall solar energy project in one tiny corner of one agricultural English county, which would by itself at 10000 acres be the largest in Europe, be justified? In my opinion, it cannot and should not.