Representation by Sarah Gooch
- Date submitted
- 8 May 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I strongly object to the development of the Byers Gill Solar farm. As someone deeply passionate about the outdoors, wildlife, and nature, I know the area and often spend time with family friends in Great Stainton. I am keenly aware of the detrimental effects the proposed Byers Gill Solar farm could have on the small local communities. There is simply no valid reason to build solar farms on prime agricultural land, especially considering the paramount importance of food security to our nation. Despite the government's professed commitment to protecting prime agricultural land in pursuit of net-zero emissions, the proposal for large-scale solar farms like Byers Gill demonstrates a clear disregard for community well-being and the irreversible loss of invaluable agricultural resources. The National Planning Policy Framework unequivocally directs us to conserve and enhance the natural environment. Yet, proposals for large-scale solar farms on wholly unsuitable sites persist, threatening our delicate ecosystems and high-grade farmland. Just recently, on April 7, 2024, the current Environment Secretary, The Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP, opposed the construction of an incinerator in his Cambridgeshire seat, citing it as a "massive blot on the landscape." Surely, the installation of 2000 acres of solar panels, accompanied by extensive infrastructure such as arrays of batteries, enclosures, fencing, and lighting, constitutes an even more egregious blot on the landscape. As an avid environmentalist, I found reassurance in the formal commitments made by our UK Government to protect and conserve a minimum of 30% of land and sea for biodiversity by 2030. These "30 by 30" pledges aim to safeguard biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and ensure the long-term health and sustainability of ecosystems. It's evident that siting solar farms on degraded or brownfield land rather than encroaching on prime agricultural land and ecologically sensitive areas is a crucial step toward meeting net-zero targets and the 30 by 30 pledges. I firmly believe that biodiversity protection and the preservation of ecologically valuable areas, while promoting renewable energy development, are not mutually exclusive. To support this stance, consider that solar developments consuming vast swathes of farmland require approximately 200 acres to generate electricity equivalent to one North Sea wind turbine, which offers the same power with a fraction of the environmental impact. With the government already signalling its support for North Sea wind power through substantial incentives, it's clear where our renewable energy priorities should lie. Considering the future generations and the irreversible impact of the Byers Gill development on my local area, I implore the National Significant Infrastructure Planning department and the UK Government to reject this ill-conceived proposal.