Public Information Meetings have been arranged for:
Monday 22nd June – Lockington
Tuesday 23rd June- Beverley
Wednesday 24th June – Walkington
We believe that it is important that you are made aware of this, attend if possible and listen to what they have to say, but go prepared with some issues and questions that you might not have considered.
Land Use & Site Selection
- Why have you selected some of the highest-quality farming land in England for this site, and what other sites did you investigate?
- Why are the parcels of land so large when you will be using only a small amount of land (approximately 30%) for solar energy production? Has the highest possible specification been used to minimise the footprint required?
- There will be a decommissioning provision in the contract, but what are the chances of this land ever returning to agricultural use?
Farming & Rural Communities
- Will you use Compulsory Purchase Orders to acquire the land, and what will happen to the current farmers, many of whom have farmed the land for generations?
- The current farmers maintain the land, both within and outside their farmland, to the highest possible standard. How will you continue to manage this to the same standard?
Scale & Infrastructure
- How many solar panels and large pieces of supporting infrastructure (transformers, etc.) are required, and how will they be delivered and commissioned? How long will the whole project take?
- Much of the solar farm infrastructure and many of the panels will be large and unsightly. How long will it take for the newly planted hedgerows to obscure them?
Traffic & Construction Impact
- How much discussion have you had with other developers and East Riding Council regarding each other’s Construction and Traffic Management Plans to ensure that the cumulative impact of all these projects happening at the same time does not overwhelm local communities? Are any of these plans in conflict with each other?
- What will be the impact on my ability to sell my house and obtain a reasonable price for it during the prolonged construction period (5+ years?) caused by this proposal and all the other major projects (e.g. new substations at Wanlass Beck and Birkhill Wood near Cottingham, the Pear Tree Hill Solar Farm in Tickton/Woodmansey, the new National Grid Super Highway, plus ERC’s housing, flood protection, and highway projects)?
Battery Storage & Safety
- Why have you included a Battery Energy Storage System adjacent to the expanded substation at Creyke Beck, just north of Cottingham? This was not included in the previous Kingfisher proposal. Are there any fire or other health and safety risks arising from this, considering it is in close proximity to housing and sits on the East Yorkshire Chalk Aquifer?
Financial & Commercial Questions
- Does financial viability mean profitability? What are your forecast bottom-line profits over the lifetime of the project, and where will these profits go?
Heritage, Landscape & Environment
- How will the English Heritage site be protected, and why include it at all given the need to maintain access?
- What will happen to all the hedgerows, trees, homes, outbuildings, public footpaths and bridleways, nesting sites, etc. that are incorporated within the site? Will they all be demolished and removed?
Cumulative Impact & Future Development
- If approved, what is to stop other developers from coming forward with plans to build additional solar farms around Beverley, and are you concerned about the cumulative impact of all the green energy projects in this area? When do you think “enough is enough”?