Representation by Medebridge Solar Limited (Medebridge Solar Limited)
- Date submitted
- 22 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Dear Examining Authority, I am writing for and on behalf of Medebridge Solar Limited (MSL), which a ground-mounted solar PV project at land off Fen Lane and Medebridge Road, South Ockendon, Essex (the Project). The Project was granted planning permission by Thurrock Council on 10th May 2022 (reference 21/02159/FUL) and it is expected to enter into construction in early 2023, with a view to being operational early 2024. MSL benefits from various land agreements in order to develop the Project. It is anticipated that the Project will connect to the electricity network at a substation located on land occupied by the adjoining Ockendon Solar Farm (Ockendon) and consequently, cabling will be installed between the Project and Ockendon. Furthermore, during the construction and operation of the Project, access will be required between the fields comprising the Project, from both Medebridge Road to the south and from Fen Lane to the north of the Project. Overall the Project is expected to generate significant benefits for the local community, including the generation of renewable electricity to power some 13,000 homes for an operational life of up to 40 years, whilst also contributing significantly to the local area through a community benefit fund totalling around £240,000. MSL would like to raise the following matters: 1. The proposed route of the LTC will run in between the land to be occupied by the Project, such that the Project’s southernmost field will be separated from the two northern fields during and subsequent to construction of the LTC if LTC is consented. MSL will require a means of accessing all parts of the Project from both the north (from Fen Lane) and south (via Medebridge Road). We would welcome a discussion to provide comfort as to how such access will be maintained during the construction and operation of the LTC. 2. The Project’s export cables will connect the three fields of ground-mounted solar PV panels and associated infrastructure to the point of connection located on Ockendon land. These cables will run underneath land included within the Order Limits for the LTC, which will be subject to either temporary or permanent acquisition. MSL needs comfort that these cables will not be disturbed by the construction and/or operation of the LTC. 3. Part of the land identified for the LTC is to be set aside as a potential receptor site for protected species (see sheets 35, 36, 38 and 41 of the Applicant’s Land Plans Volume C [AS-010]). However, the drawings appear to show this land covering an existing access track on Ockendon Landfill land and we believe this may be a mapping error. In any case, a corridor including this access track will be required by MSL for the ongoing operation of the Project, since cabling will be laid alongside this access track and the track is also required by MSL to access the Ockendon substation in future. 4. There is no mention of Medebridge Solar Limited in the Applicant’s Book of Reference [AS-042] however there are MSL’s interests within the LTC Order Limits. We therefore ask that the Applicant reviews the Book of Reference and Land Plans [AS-006 – AS-011] and adds MSL plots to both sets of documents. We would be happy to discuss any of this in more detail with National Highways.