Representation by Margaret Rose Martin
- Date submitted
- 6 June 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
To look at the West Burton Solar Project in isolation is wrong and misleading. There are four projects; Cottam, West Burton, Gate Burton and Tillbridge Solar Farm Projects. They are all in close proximity to each other and should not be viewed individually as together they have a very serious impact on the local area. To consider and accept any one of these in isolation is completely wrong. I am a resident in the area. The Pre-Application consultation documentation for each project, which included the locations, was delivered to households separately. Looking at one project in ignorance of the others makes it appear reasonable. However, after somebody other than the project companies put them all on the same map it becomes clear what a devestatingly large area is involved. Sturton by Stow in particular is encircled by these project sites. One of these projects might be acceptable but any more would be unreasonable for a small area as it will completely change its nature and biodiversity. The West Burton Solar Project and the other solar projects also being proposed would change this agricultural area in to a semi industrial landscape. I don't believe that any person or community would happily accept what is being proposed here if it were in their own area. Who will get the benefits of this electricity? How efficient are the solar farms? In a time of food insecurity we have to consider the impact of these large fields of valuable arable land being destroyed - possibly for ever. I understand the need for and am very much in favour of renewable energy, but I also believe that there are better ways to produce it, for example tidal energy and wind farms. I would not object to wind turbines in these fields instead of solar panels. Although the views would be altered the landscape would remain intact, still be visible and usable for agriculture. If it is necessary to have solar panel farms, surely there are brownfield sites that could be used rather than arable farm land. It is a requirement of the applicable legislation that brown field sites should be considered, but it doesn't appear that this has happened. This is a green field area. What about the loss of hedgerows and all the beneficial wildlife they support as well. The emotional and mental health impact on the local population due to disruption and loss of our environment on such a large scale will be huge. I personally find the prospect of these four developments claustrophobic and very depressing. The idea that screening the panels from view would make them acceptable is ridiculous. If the panels can't be seen because there are screens, whatever they might be, the original landscape can not be seen. The choice is between panels and screens. The very fact that screens are considered as an acceptable alternative to the natural views is a clear indication that the people responsible don't understand the impact it will have or simply don't care. They should ask themselves why do people go for walks in the countryside. Nobody would bother if all they could see were solar panels or huge screens that are 4.5 metres high. There is no doubt that these are commercial projects being constructed for profit. I can not see that any environmentalists have been involved in the preparation and planning. My concern is that the people driving this are only motivated financially, whether through investment or employment in the projects. They are unlikely to live in this area. This makes me very sceptical that they would ever consider the effect on the local community above the need to complete the projects. If these companies are so interested in the environment why was all the information we received on thick glossy paper? The carbon footprint of these projects will be huge. I have no confidence that all the hardware involved will be sourced in a sustainable manner. The solar panels and batteries will be made in China. Large infrastructure projects should be using UK technology. The Chinese are still producing power from coal or oil. Raw materials and the finished products will be shipped round the world. When this is all taken into account will these panels have a significant net effect on carbon fuel consumption. Any oil used will probably be Russian and therefore support the Russian invasion of Ukraine. What will happen to the hardware on these sites when panels, etc need to replaced or updated? What reassurance do we have about the impact of this? Will items be shipped abroad to be put in landfill? How polluting will this be? What will the financial and human cost be? The implementation of these four projects combined in such a relatively small rural area for principally commercial reasons is simply immoral. Solar farms seem to be the latest money making scheme!