We are waiting for the final decision by Secretary of State which is due on 7th March 2024, having been delayed from 7th December.

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SNTS Written Representation

Thank you for all your support in getting your individual Written Representations to the Examiners, and for all your comments and feedback over the last few years which we have fed as best we can into the Written Representation by the Say No to Sunnica community action group.

Both the Summary of our Written Representation, (called Deadline 2 - Summary of Written Representation), and the full version are now live on the inspectorate website:

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Our Summary document is also available here:

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Sunnica Energy Farm | National Infrastructure Planning (planninginspectorate.gov.uk)

 

We've been very lucky to have a number of expert reports supporting this, which can also be viewed on the link above (on landscape, ecology, agriculture, carbon to name but a few).

We are hopeful that between all of our representations, the Examiners (ExA) will have a clear picture of how much this Sunnica scheme impacts us.

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Any questions, please ask.

 

Thanks, SNTS team

 

 

Background:

If approved, 2500-acre (around 2,000 football pitches) Sunnica scheme would be the biggest solar and battery plant in the UK, if not Northern Europe. It would comprise over 1 million solar panels (2.5m high) with 3 large lithium-ion battery energy storage compounds, known as BESS and 3 large substations located near to Isleham/West Row (East Site A), Chippenham/Snailwell (West Site A) and Red Lodge/Freckenham (East Site B). These are significant, industrial structures.

The perimeter of the solar fields will be fenced off (2.5m high fencing) and the panel arrays in the fields will be interspersed with 3.5m high solar stations (housing transformers etc). As well as CCTV on poles (ca. 5m high) and weather stations (ca. 6m high).  

 

The Sunnica scheme would stretch for around 15 miles from one end (near Isleham/ West Row) to the other end (at Burwell) and would affect 16 parishes and towns along its path.  

It is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) like HS2, Sizewell C, etc. and will supply energy into the National Grid.

 

The Examiners are not local to this area. They need your input to help them understand what this area means to you and how you would be affected by the Sunnica scheme if it went ahead. They want to hear about things such as:

• The visual impact of the scheme (the solar panels, security fencing, BESS compounds, substations etc). How does this affect you/ your enjoyment of the area? Your lifestyle?

• What do you value about the area – how you use the area, what does it mean to you, your friends, your family

• Loss of high yielding, irrigated farmland (the scheme is entirely on greenfield land)

• Any concerns about wildlife impacts, potential loss of species etc or impacts on heritage assets, local history?

• Are you affected by the compulsory acquisition required by the applicant? If so, please be sure to get involved in the Compulsory Acquisition Hearings that will take place. Register by 19th October 2022

• Do you have any objections to the lithium-ion BESS storage compounds? If approved, the Li-BESS would be amongst the biggest in the world. There have been many serious fire incidents at Grid scale lithium-ion BESS compounds over the past few years

• Have you considered the traffic and access impacts or any potential noise impacts?

• Assessments of alternatives/ choice of location – are there other sites that have not been considered? Do you have a view on hosting the Sunnica scheme in this area alongside the 20 or so solar farms already in operation/under construction here (plus others in the pipeline)?

• Given that this scheme is unlikely to be carbon neutral over its lifetime, how do you feel about the contribution it would make to our net zero targets

• Or any other points you feel you wish to make – this is your last opportunity to make them

 

We really appreciate your help with this. Thank You

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Planning Process

​Please see the page here which describes the planning process in more detail.

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