One Earth Solar Farm

South Clifton Parish Council feedback to One Earth on the proposed One Earth Solar Farm

The Council wishes to reconfirm its’ objection to this proposal on the grounds that its’ size and scale are unsuitable and unfair to the 13 small villages in its’ immediate vicinity, as well as the numerous other villages and dwellings within the zone one area (2km) that will have to put up with the noise and increased traffic flow during construction and then the massive change to the local environment and the knock on effect to their way of life during the operational phase of the ‘farm’. We are also very concerned that there is limited information to ensure that the decommissioning of the project after 60 years will return the land to ‘farmland’ or something other than an industrial site.

South Clifton Parish Council also feels that the proximity of High Marnham makes this project ‘easier’ for you and that no thought to the detrimental effect that such a huge solar farm will have has been dismissed, because of this. Several groups of smaller, less conspicuous areas of panels would have been much easier to ‘sell’ to the local population, who feel that they are the ones being forced to accept these changes to their surroundings and way of life for the ‘greater good’ of the whole country.

The Council also feels that the STEP fusion project at West Burton, as well as numerous other solar farm proposals within the Trent Valley area, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire should be taken into consideration as their accumulative effect will have far reaching consequences for local countryside, its people and its flora and fauna, as well as each counties unique character.

The National Grid upgrade on the west side of the River Trent, (North Humber to High Marnham), now in its consultation phase, should also be considered, as the cumulative effect of this with the vast rows of solar panels in the One Earth proposal will undoubtedly affect our ‘green spaces’.

However, the Council are aware of the need for green energy and that solar is part of that mix, hence our recent meeting to try and ‘modify’ the areas to the east of the River Trent to a more acceptable scale that our communities, whilst not being happy with, might be able to cope with. We realise that the final decision on the One Earth Solar Farm lies, not with the local authorities that know the area well, but with the Planning Inspectorate and the Government, so feel it is important to modify the design as much as possible.

In the absence of receipt of your notes from that meeting, we are reiterating below the main points that we want One Earth to change in their proposals. We are aware that you felt some changes may be made to the detriment of others and South Clifton Parish Council are very concerned that the economics and level of profit of the overall project are being considered more important than the people who have to live with it and its’ effects for the rest of their lives. We ask you to seriously consider implementing all the following.

The main changes and considerations the Council asked for were –

 

• The removal of panels in fields around specific houses along Moor Lane and the A1133.
• Wider bridleways, footpaths and by-ways with panels 60m from screen hedging/trees
• Mitigations including tree, hedging and other shrubs/natural flora planting to enhance the above and to, hopefully, encourage outdoor activity.
• The joining up of existing and new rights of way to create circular walks/rides.
• All panels to be 60m from screening along all roads
• An access point/crossing created on Wheatholme Lane/Sustrans track junction
• The removal of One Earth access point on Moor Lane
• The repositioning of BESS storage away from the proposed footpath
• The inverter and substation positioning away from dwellings and consideration of noise levels in an already very quiet environment
• The creation of a car park/picnic area on Church Lane/Sustrans access
• Orchards/tree planting to enhance views and aid biodiversity
• A change in construction hours, particularly at weekends
• The introduction of an annual grants to each village/meeting within zone one, to last the lifetime of the project through to completion of its decommissioning, increasing in line with a set economic mark – to be discussed
• Discounted electricity for all consumers within the wider zone area
• Annual impact and environmental assessments, to include health assessments, for the length of the project
• A dedicated team to liaise with villagers throughout the whole project
• The use of local workers on the site, wherever possible

 

During our meeting the following points were also discussed briefly and the Council feel that they need more consideration by the One Earth team.

 

House Prices

The effect on house prices in the zone one area is difficult to assess as there are no other solar farms operational of this size and scale in the United Kingdom and no smaller ones that engulf so may small villages. The One Earth Solar Farm will be the largest planned solar farm in Europe but there has been little or no research into the economic impact on the housing market, so, we cannot understand how you can be sure that there will be no detrimental change, as you stated in our recent meeting. We would like to see your research into this as well as how local populations are affected by solar panels surrounding villages.

 

Health

The effects on the health of villagers is another area that is important, especially as many of the ‘Health and Well Being’ concerns raised by your survey, according to your PEIR, will not be significantly affected by the construction, operation or decommissioning of the One Earth project and some will be positively affected. You also seem to believe that most effects on health will be short term or temporary. Can we ask how you came to these conclusions and see your relevant research?

 

The mental health of all villagers is of particular concern and it is clear that, even in this consultation phase, your project has been having an adverse effect. The shock and dismay felt when the One Earth Solar Farm proposal was made public was tangible, which is why it is imperative that the One Earth team take seriously the Councils requests. Again, the projected profit levels for the multinational companies involved with this project, should not dictate or override how the villages and villagers are considered in its’ implementation and operation.

 

Solar panels

South Clifton Parish Council also wish to reiterate their concern about where the solar panels are manufactured and how they are to reach the project site. We understand this is an ever-changing situation and that more manufacturers, other than China (the present leading supplier) are starting up businesses. We also understand that, because of this, the One Earth team have not yet made a decision as to where to source the panels for the project. We want One Earth to confirm that they will source the panels from as near as possible to the site, in line with their green credentials and also that under no circumstances will they buy panels that have or could have been produced unethically, ensuring that they research thoroughly the source of their purchases.

 

BESS Storage

We understand the life of the batteries in the BESS storage is ten years only. Can One Earth confirm this and inform us how this will be managed and the depleted batteries disposed of? Can they also comment on the problem of fires within the storage site and the inability to douse them, resulting in harmful gases being released into the surrounding areas for as long as they are burning, which we understand is at least 3 days?

 

Decommissioning

We understand that One Earth have leased the land for the solar farm from local landowners and we have been told that the solar farm will have 60 years to be constructed, operational and decommissioned. Can you tell us what will happen at the end of the 60 years and who will have the final decision, the landowner or One Earth? We understand that once the land has been used for this industrial purpose it is not classified as farmland and cannot be used as such. Please comment on this?

Can One Earth confirm that ALL panels, cabling, batteries, inverters, fencing and associated non -natural objects will be removed from the site – below ground as well as above ground level and the sites returned to a natural environment?

 

Biodiversity

We welcome the promised enhancements and mitigations within the project that will aid and improve biodiversity.

We have consulted with a villager who works in this field and he has suggested the inclusion of the following-

Scrub - the One Earth project presents a fantastic opportunity to create more areas of scrub habitat that will help to support declining bird species like turtle dove. At the moment this habitat is concentrated along the Sustrans route and the river corridor (e.g. gravel pits) as it is generally pretty incompatible with arable farmland. As well as tree planting, we ask One Earth to create pockets of scrub across the project area.

 

Pond restoration - the efforts to survey ponds were pretty poor given their potential importance for wildlife. Private access was cited as a reason - but this hasn’t stopped you developing proposals (for privately-owned land) for the rest of the project area. We would like One Earth to restore existing farm ponds across the project area and create new ones. 

 

Tree planting and hedge restoration - every hedge in the project area should be restored e.g. gaps filled, stretches re-laid, if necessary, with occasional trees planted into the hedge. We ask One Earth to abide by the Governments Hedgerow Regulations.

 

 

This concludes the feedback, for now, from South Clifton Parish Council. We look forward to receiving the answers to our questions and the information we have requested. We are aware that you will be drawing up your new plans which will be available in August and you are happy to continue our dialogue during this time.

 

South Clifton Parish Council

July 2024