Sir John Hayes MP has pledged to continue fighting plans for a large solar development across four sites near Crowland, Shepeau Stow, Cowbit and Whaplode Drove.
The South Holland and the Deepings MP made the commitment after attending Planning Inspectorate hearings on September 8 and 9. In a letter published by The Spalding and South Holland Voice on September 16, he said the proposals would cover 2,700 acres of grades 1 and 2 agricultural land, taking it out of food production.
Hayes said he had called on the applicant to withdraw what he described as imprecise and inadequate plans. He also said fundamental questions raised during the hearings by himself, planning officers, Lincolnshire County Council and the Meridian Action Group remained unanswered.
Concerns over farmland and flooding
The MP said his main objection had been the proposed use of some of the country’s most fertile land. He questioned why the four locations had been selected when brownfield sites and lower-grade land were available within what he called a reasonable distance.
He also raised concerns about the flood risk at the proposed locations. According to Hayes, one of the sites is in flood zone 3, while land with a lower flood risk lies not far to the west. He said the developer did not provide a clear explanation for choosing the higher-risk location.
The plans would involve millions of solar panels being installed for 40 years. The applicant’s description of that period as “long term temporary” was criticised by Hayes, who said the wording was “surreally shocking”.
Grid connection, wildlife and water questions
Hayes said representatives from National Grid had raised doubts about the suitability of the plans because Meridian does not have a guarantee of the grid connection needed for the project.
He also said the developer had not engaged with the Environment Agency about possible risks to eels, fish and other aquatic habitats. Natural England had not been consulted, he claimed, about noise and the potential impact on birds and bats from associated pylons.
The pylons could be as tall as 216 feet, according to the letter. Hayes also said the developer had not completed the necessary preparation with Anglian Water concerning the amount of water the development would use. He described that as an urgent issue following the drought experienced locally.
Construction traffic and community benefits
Another concern is the proposed construction programme. Hayes said Meridian intends to build on all four sites at the same time, creating months of heavy-duty construction traffic on nearby narrow roads.
He said that approach created obvious safety risks and would cause disruption for nearby communities. He also rejected the claim by Meridian representatives that no agricultural jobs would be affected by the proposed development across the farmland.
The MP said no money had been offered for a community benefit fund. In his view, that would leave residents facing substantial disruption without financial support from the project.
Hayes said he would write to the Planning Inspectorate to reinforce his objections. The hearings were considering the Meridian proposals, but the supplied report does not state when a final decision will be made.