Representation by Dorne Carole Johnson
- Date submitted
- 16 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Solar energy can play a very limited part in the generation of electricity due to its intermittency needing the sun. Power is most needed in the UK in the winter and the proposed development is a significantly in efficient use of land that can be productive in helping with our national food security. It would be far more sensible and productive to put solar on roof tops and brownfield land leaving land capable of producing food alone. On roofs it will directly reduce peoples bills. The Panels used for this project are very likely to come from China and the labour sourced from outside the area. This will not bring any sort of leveling up to Lincolnshire. This is not an ethically sound project and the human rights of these overseas workers is likely not to be respected. This Cottam Solar proposal is 1 of 4 huge solar farms proposed in this area and they are all very close to each other. All are Nationally Significant infrastructure projects. Together these projects will amount to 10000 acres and would be the largest solar farm in Europe. At present all 4 of these solar farms will be looked at and examined independantly. Given the significant impact these projects will have on the farming land in this area, the natural habitat and the industrialisation of rural villages it seems only fair and reasonable for these 4 projects to be looked on as one project. The Cottam project represents 3000 acres of farming land and with the other 3 projects 10,000 acres of food producing land. This land is capable of producing the best wheat and produce and not only can the UK ill afford to keep taking away food producing land but farming represents some 35% of lincolnshire GDP. This will have a devastating affect on the farming industry in our area, tenant farmers will loose their business and a significant knock on effect with farm supplying businesses. There will be 3,000 acres from the Cottam solar project alone of 4.5m high mechanised panels. This will not blend into the land but significantly dominate it. The proposal would be highly visible from the Lincoln Cliff Road. This is designated as an area of landscape value! This is going to be devastating for the well being of the villages from the 10,000 acres being proposed they are going to surrounded by a solar industrial estate the walks, enjoyment of the country side is being taken away from some 31 villages. The batteries used for these solar projects are going to be stored in one of the worlds largest battery energy storage systems. These are proposed to be close to local villages and are a potential fire and chemical risk to life and property and would be better sited on brown field land. It is not right or safe to have these close to residential infrastructure. Up to 12 miles from the Grid connections on 10 separate parcels of land is excessive and unnecessary civil works involved in the cable connections will cause significant unnecessary ecological disruption. This land has not been selected on suitability or merit put purely by availability. This will be a 4 year project of construction when combined with the other 3 projects and this is not good for the mental health or well being of locals who have totally not been considered with these projects. The natural habitat is going to be so affected. The developer island Green power have not engaged in good faith with the local population and have not considered important factors like using the available brownfield local sites of which there are plenty in this area. They have not discussed panel height or glare. No mention of the battery storage and generation capabilities or any discussion on flood risk. It is only now after the consultation have taken place that the public are finding out the true facts about these proposals. These proposals are devastating to the Lincolnshire locals taking away jobs, lands, food , habitat and quiet enjoyment of our rural life to which many of us have enjoyed for years. Solar needs to be on roof tops and the electricity this project will produce does not justify taking away this good food producing land.