Representation by Cranham Golf Course Ltd (Cranham Golf Course Ltd )
- Date submitted
- 12 January 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
It is accepted that Annex B of document 4.1 (Statement of Reasons) includes Cranham Golf Course Ltd (No 210) and Cranham Solar Ltd (No 211) and that the document schedules negotiations that have taken place with National Highways (NH). Negotiations were considered necessary by NH due in part to Compulsory Acquisition in order to facilitate replacement land for Thames Chase Community Forest. Representations contend that negotiations with the landowner have been inadequate and no meaningful evidence supplied as to why land currently occupied by Cranham Solar Ltd is the only site appropriate for the identified replacement land. For completeness land associated with Cranham Solar Ltd is owned by Cranham Golf Course but the golf course has no current financial interest in the solar generating business. This situation would change in the future however were the compulsory acquisition not to conclude. The lease with Cranham Solar Ltd is a 25 year lease but planning permission exists for the solar park to generate over a 40 year period. On expiration of the lease with Cranham Solar Ltd the ownership of solar generating equipment would revert to Cranham Golf Course who would have the ability to draw income from electric generation on site for an additional 15 years terminating on 16th December 2056 (Planning Permission P.1569.22 refers). It is contended that the importance of the site as a business in its own right, and perhaps more importantly an important renewable energy generating facility with a current future lifespan of 33 years has been completely overlooked when assessing land which may be considered suitable as replacement land for Thames Chase Community Forest. The landowner also seeks to make representations on the Environmental Statement Appendices and Appendix 8.17 - Draft EPS mitigation licence application - great crested newts. Again these representations are solely in respect to how NH justify Cranham Solar as the only suitable replacement land for Thames Chase Community Forest. NH dismiss Cranham Golf Course as a possible location for replacement land partly on the basis of "Surveys showed that this site already contains areas of suitable terrestrial habitat for Great Crested Newts (such as rough grass and scrub) and the golf course is well-linked to Thames Chase and lies within the buffer zone associated with the newt ponds to be impacted." Similar land features exist on the solar park located adjacent the golf course and it is therefore contended that this land could provide suitable habitat within 500m of recorded GCN. Additionally the landowner is not party to any evidence that pond features within the golf course have been tested for the presence of GCN which could change the buffer zone associated. Annex B (Schedule of Negotiations) records that the last correspondence between Cranham Golf Course and NH in respect of surveys was on 28/6/2019 with, to the landowner's knowledge, only 1 survey visit made. In summary whilst not having an objection to the principal of the infrastructure project itself Cranham Golf Course wish to make representations relating to the adequacy of negotiations and more importantly the robustness of the site selection process employed by NH for the Thames Chase Community Forest replacement land. The only evidence supplied to the landowner is recorded in document 4.1 Annex B on 23/9/2022 when the Thames Chase Forest Centre - 'Survey Results and Reasonable Alternatives' document was issued. Section 3 of the document is the only evidence the landowner has seen that documents the land selection criteria employed by NH - the findings of which have been challenged directly.