Representation by Nigel Rylance
- Date submitted
- 18 February 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Landscape I believe the project will have a major negative impact on the landscape and I strongly disagree with the project design. Landscape character assessments repeatedly describe the proposed project area as open and remote with a strong rural character with expansive long-distance views. These proposals will diminish the features to the extent of transforming the strong rural character to one of an industrial landscape that will be irrevocably damaged. The widths for buffer zones between panels and landscape features such as hedgerows, woodlands and trees will dwarfed by the sheer extent of wall-to-wall solar panels as far as the eye can see. Planting of new hedgerows and minimalist woodland planting to screen the effect from panels will take between 10 and 15 years to achieve their full effect, assuming adequate maintenance through their establishment phase is put in place. Should any part of the project progress, buffers adjacent public rights of way, public highways and residential properties will need to be significantly increased to have any chance of minimising the brutal impact this project will have across the locality. The statement within the non-statutory public consultation that this development would be minimally invasive is diametrically opposite to the findings of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council Landscape Character Assessment Update 2018. An assessment that has been prepared to guide and inform policy development and help determine planning applications, including those for renewable energy. Transport and Access The proposals to create an Operations and Maintenance base at Johnson’s Farm from the outset of the project and throughout its lifetime is wholly unacceptable and inappropriate. The increase in volume of traffic through a combination of cars, minibuses, HGV's and tactor/trailor units can have nothing but a negative impact for village life as contractors and goods vehicles need to access and egress Johnson's Farm, irrespective of the hour of day at which these journeys occur. On a personal note, we live at the junction of [Redacted] and are already acutely aware of traffic needing to brake and accelerate to and from this junction. We live so close to the junction we hear telephone conversations and music being played from within these vehicles whilst within our own home. The prospect of this disruption significantly increasing from 06:00-07:00 and 19:00-20:00 Monday to Friday and every Saturday morning, will become intolerable and will most certainly have a negative impact on daily life.