Representation by T & C Laycock (T & C Laycock)
- Date submitted
- 10 July 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
There will be a serious loss of income and we will struggle to feed 200 head of cattle and continue our tree business because of the disruption. The potential time element of 66 months for 2 different companies to have access to the amount of land the scheme requires causes interference to the agricultural operation and maintenance of watercourses will be dire. The environmental impact in the area will be greatly affecting the wild life, like the deer population, the barn owl feeding grounds along the drains, the vole population and the feeding grounds of migratory birds which have been pushed away from the Moss due to housing developments. Stress due to not being able to travel around the farm, fields being cut in half, social aspects, economical factors and mental strain for such a long period of time. The land drains all run into Branch main river drain and if these land drains are affected then potential flooding will occur and will have consequences on surrounding fields, (not just the ones you are working in.). It will cause water displacement and the Environment Agency knows this. We have spent £1000's on new drains recently and this scheme is going to undo all that we have done. It will lower the value of Agricultural Land and it's potential uses. The cables may move and come to the surface as other cables in the area have done. The traffic disruption will occur due to the fact that the moss roads are not fit for purpose with heavy goods vehicles that in the past due to the poor quality and lack of maintenance of the roads wagons have ended up veering off the road and ending up on their sides. 5 last year. I can see some roads may have to be shut due to the 3 compounds by our farm. The land will take 20 years to get it back to the way it is farmed today if at all. The cables corridor is enormous in width, wider than a motorway and this causes great concern as it will scar the Fylde area. There will also be a loss of business potentially to Lytham We will not be able to plan for the farms succession of the next generation and in this area there are a number of youngsters who desperately have the agricultural skills and wish to continue to farm because it is their passion.