Representation by Judith Russell
- Date submitted
- 30 March 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
1.In the UK solar panels only produce on average around 11% of their rated output, They do this best on summer days when we least need it. When demand is at it's highest in winter evenings they are producing nothing. The panels take up huge amounts of arable farmland for the limited contribution they can make. 2. From a food sustainability perspective, using arable land for solar will cut the amount of crops, food, animal feed and energy crops and will leave the UK vulnerable. It will destroy agricultural jobs and livelihoods and create very few new jobs or livelihoods. 3 Wildlife will be seriously at risk no matter the assurances, it will not be possible to deliver and install millions of solar panels without destroying fragile habitats and species. 4. The scale of this project is unprecedented and the development would change the character and nature of the area for over 50 years. There is likely to be a detrimental impact on the general health and well being of local residents. 5. The road infrastructure is extremely poor (single track) and inadequate and the impact of a development on this scale is of great concern, in terms of the safety, noise, disruption and damage to the roads. 6. We are against the large scale solar development because of the limited contribution to decarbonisation and the consequences of using arable land in this way and reducing food production. We believe that solar should be used where there is unused space such as rooftops both commercial and domestic. We believe that developments of this scale and impact should be decided at local level not nationally, by the people whose health, livelihoods and communities are being decimated.