Q1: Where else have you built solar farms?
A: Our joint venture partnership has built the following sites:
Bryn Bachau • Wales, UK • 4.4 MW • Constructed: 2016
Manor Farm • West Sussex, UK • 5 MW • Constructed: 2016
Lagness • West Sussex, UK • 5 MW • Constructed: 2016
Ferry Farm Community • West Sussex, UK • 4.4 MW • Constructed: 2016
Ferry Farm • West Sussex, UK • 5 MW • Constructed: 2015
Bilsham Farm • West Sussex, UK • 15 MW • Constructed: 2014
Q2: Won’t this be noisy?
A: The transformers / inverters that generate noise have been located away from receptors. The containers have buffering to prevent excessive noise. The noise survey confirms this will not be audible from any of the surrounding dwellings and is not above normal background noise for users on footpaths surrounding the site.
Q3: Why don’t you put all the solar panels on roofs of farm buildings?
A: We have already installed 250 kW of solar panels on Merston Grain Store and have recently made a prior approval application at Walton Farm, Bosham and applications for Ham farm, Bosham, Nature’s Way, Selsey and and Nature’s Way at Runcton. This will produce 3.1 MW of energy but that is not enough for our business use on the Chichester Food Park.
Update: We are undertaking a high-level feasibility study for providing solar power to the Chichester Food Park. Rooftop solar can never fully replace a traditional power supply as peak use and bad weather require a business to rely on solar energy as a percentage of total power supply. At the Food Park, a number of businesses are high energy users and a rooftop array would only provide a portion of the total demand at any given time.
Q4: Isn’t this land green belt?
A: The site is not in the Green Belt so it does not have any additional protection other than it is considered countryside. Large solar farms will need to be located in the countryside as there is insufficient brownfield land available.
Q5: Is the site protected for nature conservation?
A: There are no designated areas on or adjacent to the Application Site, but it falls within a Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Risk Impact Zone for Pagham Harbour and Chichester/Langstone Harbour which have been taken into account in preparing the planning application.
Q6: But aren’t Chichester District Council are trying to make this area a wildlife corridor?
A: Whilst the Council have considered this, there are outstanding objections to this draft policy and therefore this has limited influence at this early stage. In addition, the biodiversity advantages of solar farms are significant over arable farming, so in some respects are not inconsistent.
Q7: Will this site need fencing off – won’t that prevent mammals migrating?
A: The site will need to be fenced off, but small mammal gates in the fencing allow mammals to traverse the whole site.
Q8: How does this affect access to the land?
A: There is currently no public access to the site so nothing changes in this regard.
Q9: Why is the solar farm located here?
A: Given the lack of availability of brownfield land, it is necessary to develop solar farms within countryside locations. In addition, solar farms need to be located to where they can make suitable connections to the electricity grid for export. Given the constraints of electricity export and considering carefully from the wider land ownership available we have chosen the sites that are least damaging in terms of both both local amenity, biodiversity and visual impact.
Q10: Is this not high-quality agricultural land?
A: Wherever possible, we have avoided locating the solar panels on grade 1 agricultural land. However, other areas of the site are also considered best, and most versatile agricultural land. Given most of the Chichester coastal plain is good quality agricultural land. It is extremely difficult to avoid land within grade 2 and 3.
Q11: Will this decrease food production and food security?
A: Whilst approximately 33ha of land is taken out of agricultural production, this is not forever. It is anticipated that the solar farm will operate for 40 years, and then the site could be re-used for agriculture. This has the benefit of resting the soil for a significant period, and allowing biodiversity of the soil to increase significantly with careful management In addition, the use of the energy from this site will significantly boost the production of consumable food at the food park. Given the volatility of the energy market, this increases food security rather than decreases it.
Q12: What about Pagham Rife – how will this be maintained?
A: The Environment Agency (EA) is responsible for the maintenance of rifes and rivers. Pagham Rife will be separated from the development by an 8m buffer either side of the top of the bank, this will allow the EA access for individuals and vehicles to maintain the Rife, for example, the regular programme of vegetation clearance the EA already undertakes.
Update: The development will be separated by a 10m buffer.
Q13: How will the HGVs get through our narrow lanes especially through the conservation area?
A: We are undertaking a pre-app with WSCC to establish a construction route to the site. There are several options that are being considered such as:
Direct delivery of components to the site via Runcton Lane.
Delivery of components to Chichester Food Park where we will construct a temporary compound on the old airfield site. The components will then be off-loaded in smaller vehicle / farm vehicles and deliveries broken up into smaller quantities.
The final proposed route will be agreed with WSCC.
Q14: Where will the renewable energy be used?
A: If possible we would like all the renewable energy produced to be used by Chichester Food Park. This helps to decarbonise food production. If this is physically not possible the renewable energy would be fed in to the grid and a ‘sleeve’ agreement will be in place to allow the Chichester food Park to take advantage of the renewable energy reduction in carbon dioxide.
Q15: How much carbon dioxide will be saved by this solar farm?
A: Generation of solar electricity at this scale is estimated to reduce atmospheric CO2 emissions by 6,528 tonnes annually.
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