Representation by Derek Marsh
- Date submitted
- 24 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am a supporter of renewable energy, but not at any cost. I do not support what appears to be a mad gold rush of solar developments on fertile agricultural land. I have recently been given a map showing proposed developments covering a massive area of farmland. The Cottam solar project is one of them, which shocked me as I was led to believe that this solar farm was at Cottam power station near Retford and I supported this green initiative supposedly at the former power station site. The proposal site is in an area my wife and I regularly visit for walks after visiting Lincoln and nearby family and friends. This would certainly not be a place for recreation if it were to be industrialised in this way. I believe there to be a large solar farm called "Little Crow" next to the vast industrial Scunthorpe steel works and is sheilded from view by mature pine forest. This site selection seems far more considered? I feel let down by the way this proposal has been marketed to the unsuspecting public. I would like to know why the old power station site is not being used, why were we misled and why is the Cottam name being used. After all this proposal is knowhere near Cottam? I do not think this is a sound land use proposition. Is our valuable farmland really the only place for these things? I pray for a sensible and ethical outcome.