Campaign group fearful as government to make Sunnica energy farm decision
A decision is expected to be made today
Last updated 7th Dec 2023
A decision on whether to allow a solar farm spanning more than 2,500 acres to be built on the Cambridgeshire and Suffolk border is expected today.
Sunnica Limited says the project, thought to be one of Europe's largest solar farms if approved, will power 172,000 homes and create 1,500 jobs during construction.
A final decision on the project by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero was meant to be made in September.
The plans would be spread over three sites, with some villages in East Cambridgeshire to be affected.
These include solar photovoltaic panels across several fields and each site would be connected to each other by underground cables that link to the National Grid at Burwell substation.
Catherine Judkins chairs the Say no to Sunnica group:
"It affects 16 towns and parishes so it's a spread-out scheme, maximum damage to the environment for an area that already has a number of solar developments," she said.
"There is a real fear if it did go ahead that communities would be separated from each other by fenced off fields of solar panels.
"People are confused and don't understand why we need to take a huge amount of our landscape and farmland out of action when there are alternatives out there."
Councils and MPs stand against solar farm
Both East Cambridgeshire District Council and Suffolk County Council have previously opposed the plans.
South East Cambridgeshire MP Lucy Frazer has also spoken against the proposals, telling district councillors last year that the size of the solar farm would have a major impact on people living in the affected areas.
In March 2022, West Suffolk MP and former health secretary Matt Hancock and Ms Frazer joined protesters in a march against Sunnica's plans.
Solar farm planned for Isleham plane crash site
If the plans are passed, solar panels would be built on land that was the scene of a US bomber crash on October 13, 1949.
One British airman and 11 American airmen died when their B-50A Superfortress fell to the ground and exploded after it ran into trouble having taken off from RAF Lakenheath.
Villagers say the explosion was heard from several miles away, and that the crew on board stayed on the plane to steer it towards the outskirts of Isleham which saved the village from destruction.
In 2020, a plaque was unveiled at the village's Beeches community centre to remember those who died in the crash.
"You've got that visual connection with the villages"
"People fed back their concerns earlier in the public consultation and they went largely ignored, so people feel they're not being listened to and this (the plans) is being inflicted upon them," Catherine said.
"In terms of food security which East Anglia is known for, there's a large proportion of versatile land and it grows high value food crops that cannot readily be grown elsewhere in the UK.
"You've got that visual connection at all times with these villages and if that's replaced by fencing and panels, the feel of the surroundings would be industrial and I think that would negatively impact people's mental health."
Sunnica have previously said the proposals would help the government's target of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The company has been approached for comment.