Representation by David Mitchell
- Date submitted
- 14 May 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
There are a number of fundamental issues with this project which the developer has not addressed in their application and cause serious concern to local residents, including myself and my family. Cumulative effect. There are c10 solar farm planning applications already approved in our immediate vicinity. The impact of this on the residents, our quality of life, local amenity, local businesses etc etc has simply been ignored by the developer. Such a large number of developments in such a small area (of which Byers Gill is the largest) will have a hugely detrimental impact. Residents will not be able to access the village of Bishopton through any route without directly passing panels of associated infrastructure. This will impact every single journey made. For those of us with children in the village, this extends to one of the panel areas which is adjacent to the local primary school. My young daughter and my home will be adjacent to panel areas/infrastructure and so in terms of her daily life, she will simply never escape the impact. Flooding. In winter time, our village is sometimes impassable. Every entry and exit road in the village can be blocked. We are therefore isolated when this happens. The topography of the land, means that the panel areas especially will cause serious run off issues, taking away large elements of drainage causing the flooding issue to be significantly worsened. In these circumstances, I have concerns about how for example emergency vehicles could access my home which again presents a risk I and my family should not have to face. Health and safety concerns. The developer acknowledges there is a fire safety risk, but has not sought in any way to alleviate those concerns. I would note the Chief Fire Inspectors comments on fire risk, which is simply too high a risk where a local school and countless young children's health and safety is concerned. The local roads are too small to accommodate a large scale response to a fire. The fire concerns are not simply limited to the fire itself, but the high level of chemicals and harmful gases which would be emitted in such a close location to residents and a school. Local amenity and well being. I utilise the area for cycling, walking, running, dog walking and a large number of others use the space around Bishopton for the open space, green space for their mental well being. In an industrial space like Teesside, these rural open spaces are a vital source of well being for a large number of people. This will be completely taken away by a complete industrialisation of the local area. The extent of the project (and those already approved) mean this is an impact which cannot be mitigated given the extent of the plans. Local nature. Deers, hare, badgers, lapwings, barn owls, and various other species are observed on a daily basis from my home and around the impacted area in Bishopton. These will be lost completely by a development which has selected its specific locations on a basis that has given absolutely zero consideration to their impact. The developer could have looked to alternative fields that are further away from the village, the school and the residents, which would have had less of a gross impact on people, but has not sought to do so.