Representation by Margaret Todd
- Date submitted
- 14 May 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I strongly object to the Byers Gill Solar Farm development for the following reasons: As someone who has visited Great Stainton area many times, I am particularly impressed by the feel of the surrounding countryside and the charm of all the small roads and fields of crops and livestock. I was very sad to learn that there was a development of such a size and scale particularly in even being considered. Especially when you consider this alongside the many other nearby solar farm projects which already have approval. The total of all sites within the area will be more than 2,600 acres. This will be in addition to the already existing windfarms in the area. If these scheme goes ahead, it will totally ruin the nature and beauty of an important farmland area. My son and his wife own a house in Great Stainton and it is a lovely village with a tranquil village green and dates back to roman times. The village would be totally surrounded by solar farm developments with fields of glass instead of farmland. It would totally spoil the look and the feel of the countryside. Surely there is a better location than prime countryside to locate a solar farm, such as using brown field sites rather than highly productive, rural farmland. It is more important to maintain our farmlands to maximise our own food production in the UK. As the government has confirmed that offshore wind will produce more than enough electricity to power every home in the country by 2030, based on current usage, there is no requirement to use high quality land for inefficient solar farms. Also, the introduction of a development of such as scale, alongside other already approved developments, would have a devastating effect on existing wildlife and their natural habitats, they would be squeezed out of the area and would lose out to fields of metal and glass. The roads around the area are already very busy, so the additional traffic associated with the building of the development would be hugely disruptive to the inhabitants and other road users. The roads are also subject to flooding and the building of acres of solar panels is only going to make this worse. I do support the use green energy but not at any cost - this development would ruin a lovely countryside area, when other more efficient methods of obtaining energy are available. I would strongly urge the Planning Inspectorate to do the right thing and reject this proposal. Please do not facilitate the ruining of agricultural land and our countryside, there are more and better alternatives available. I feel that this area has already made a sizable contribution to green energy, any further development would be unduly oppressive for the people who live and work there and the totally change the nature of the area to its detriment.