Representation by Carol Montgomery
- Date submitted
- 16 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I wish to object and express my fear and horror regarding the proposed solar farm for the following reasons. 1. Cottam is only 1 of 4 solar farm proposals being put forward, all side by side within a pocket of agricultural land between Lincoln, Gainsborough and Cottam. The scale of the plans are truly frightening and hard to comprehend. Combined, the land taken will be 10,000 acres, and the output will be 2080 MW. The 3 largest solar projects in the world at the moment are the Bhadia Park in India with an output of 2245 MW and covering 14,000 acres, the Huanghe Park in China giving 2200 MW, followed by the Pavagada Park in India giving 2050 MW. Each of these are based in hot and remote areas. I have seen photos of each of these and they look like an alien landscape. Taken cumulatively, the concentration of the 4 planned solar farms for the north of Lincoln will mean it replaces Pavagada as the 3rd largest solar park in the world, but rather than being remote and on unproductive land, it will use vast swathes of productive farm land, and the quality of life for all the people in the 30 villages which will be surrounded by this installation will be damaged for generations to come. And for what...the most inefficient source of renewable energy that there is. 2. We were promised that Neighbourhood Plans would carry weight when planning decisions were being made, and our Glentworth Neighbourhood Plan specifically identifies the views from the B1398 Middle Street westwards over the Till Vale as a significant landscape of the Parish. Our Vision has a strong focus on preserving the highly valued features of the natural environment with particular reference to the open landscapes. Reference is made in the National Planning Policy Framework which promotes the protection of valued landscapes and the visual amenity of the historic environment. This land is also included in the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan, policy LP17 under the 'Area of Great Landscape Value'. A representative from the solar company was interviewed by Peter Levy on Look North on 7th February (last week) and suggested that 10,000 acres of 4m high 'low level' solar panels and banks of batteries each the size of a shipping container are ideal for a countryside setting and would be almost invisible as they would be screened by hedge planting. This person has clearly never visited the area and is totally unaware that the B1398 Middle Street is locally known as the 'Cliff' or 'Lincoln Edge' as it is a limestone edge that rises up and gives a paramount view over the Till Vale to the west, running all the way from Kirton Lindsey to the north and Lincoln to the south. As you drive along Middle Street those stunning, protected views over the Vale would be replaced with mirror like panels as far as the eye could see and would be an abomination. Any planting as a method to attempt to screen the panels would take a generation to grow and would only screen if you are standing at the same level as the panels. 3. Solar power is neither efficient, reliable nor predictable, and is the least able to give us power when we need it most. If the government are serious about including solar in the renewables mix, then surely rather than taking productive agricultural land when we should be actively protecting it for future food security, they should be legislating for all new builds, particularly the giant industrial buildings and warehouses, to include solar panels on their roofs. 4. The open countryside across the proposed area is currently home to a whole range of wildlife, including deer, and within the area are 4 reservoirs which are used every year by hundreds of migrating geese and other birds. The years of construction will decimate this habitat, the vast scale of the cumulative projects, the miles of security fencing etc that will be in place for many years to come will cause immeasurable harm to wildlife.