Representation by Jon Payne
- Date submitted
- 18 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Using 3000 acres of food producing farmland on which to mount solar panels and calling it energy infrastructure is nonsensical and will not solve the energy crisis but could easily exacerbate a food crisis, in this unstable world we live in? Cottam Solar Project is a prime example of this industrialisation of our countryside with fields as far as the eye can see full of vast structures of glass, steel and sadness! Houses would be trapped within this sea of monstrous solar panels looking like abandoned dwellings on a dystopian wasteland, replacing our once glorious and much loved countryside.. What kind of society would allow this crass infliction on their fellow beings? The land hungry nature of solar farms and the poor average power outputs makes using our farmland for this purpose extremely misguided to say the least. The desire for solar could easily be accomodated by utilising domestic and industrial roof tops. One of the real reasons Developers and the solar industry make excuses for their lack of appetite in this area is purely profit over ethics. It is easier and far more profitable to develop farmland and supply power to the Grid rather than roof mounted solar panels feeding direct to the consumer. There is an absolute avalanche of land mounted solar power plant applications in this country, if approved the loss of such huge amounts of food producing land compared to actual gains in our energy security would be in the future judged as absolute folly! I cannot think why we would even consider covering over our precious farmland when roof tops can be utilised instead. I fully understand the drive for renewables, but solar on farmland? This is the very worst option. Put them on the roof, at home and at work..like we have! Planning Inspectorate we are all relying on you.