Suffolk County Council to object EcoPower solar farm proposals set to spread out over 1,500 acres
It's as there's a number of parcels of land where this project will locate solar infrastructure over Grade 2 agricultural land
Suffolk County Council will object to the EcoPower solar farm proposals in north Suffolk, and is reminding residents there is just one week left to respond to the project’s only non-statutory consultation.
The 250-megawatt solar farm and battery energy storage system will be spread out over 1,500 acres at multiple sites around Yaxley, Brome, Gislingham, Mellis, Eye and Occold.
The county council is currently finalising a 60-page response, outlining its objections and concerns around the current plans.
One of the key elements of opposition, is formed by the council’s policy position that solar farms should not remove Suffolk’s best quality farmland from food production.
Public information, published by Defra, identifies a number of parcels of land where this project will locate solar infrastructure over Grade 2 agricultural land.
Councillor Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), said:
“There are many technical reasons on which our objections are based. But personally, I cannot move past the significant, negative impacts this proposal will have – and has already had – on local residents and communities.
“What exacerbates this, is the frightening speed at which EcoPower wants to get their plans in front of the Planning Inspectorate. There is precious little time for people to understand the project, its potential impact, and to provide a considered response.
“The dangers of rushing a proposal such this, are many – missing significant archaeological opportunities, irreversibly damaging biodiversity and ecology, or alienating communities, to name a few.
“There is also so much detail and evidence missing from the proposals, which concerns me. EcoPower needs to provide details of comprehensive mitigation packages for communities, evidence of workforce and skills plans, impacts on the highways, and so much more. We will be highlighting this in our response.”
The council say they also remain firm on their preference for rooftop-before-rural solar development and expect that solar developers should rule out any links to forced labour in their supply chains.