Representation by Anna Leckey
- Date submitted
- 28 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
This proposed project is one of four known solar developments that are approaching the planning phase for this area. I live right next to one of these proposals that considered collectively, the sheer size of them will inflict a gross intrusion to the landscape, destroy local communities, wildlife and their habitats, effect house prices, ruin people’s enjoyment of the countryside and most importantly, remove the productive yield of thousands of acres of agricultural land from this country’s food producing ‘bread basket’. The collective impact of these proposals must be considered in conjunction of all four, and not individually. My concern also includes the potential for contamination of arable land that, as per this proposal should be returned to agricultural use after 40 years. How can the construction and housing of panels and batteries that contain toxic substances be completed and maintained to guarantee zero land contamination at the end of its use. Breakages, failures and damage are highly possible, and in the future when food production will be even more important, we must be assured the land will be safe enough to be returned to agricultural use, and guaranteed that it will be. The enormous and detrimental effect on the community will see established rural communities surrounded and transformed from rural settlements to industrial zones, all against the most pronounced will of those it will directly affect. How can this affect be managed or indeed foreseen? There appears to be no visible compassion or recognition for this effect. Giant batteries, which are part of this plan but are not widely discussed, are known fire hazards and have no place near any residential setting, grasslands or field. These fields, it is valid to point out, in recent warm weather became kindle dry, themselves alone becoming a wild fire risk. This area should not be the setting for an ‘unknown’ numbers of giant batteries installed within the development. With over 38 fires at battery energy storage depots around the world, we cannot put our villages at risk of such dangers. How many batteries planned is unknown, but knowing the plans are to enable the ‘Grid’ to have 4 hours of storage, we suspect many! It is known that such battery fires cannot be tackled with water, and fire authorities have said that once started there is nothing that can be done except wait and hope no toxic fumes are released. Batteries surrounded by grassland and woodland amongst rural communities would bring along with it unimaginable risk.