Gridserve proposal for solar farm and charging station.

I hope that you are all managing to cope in these difficult times .

As previously posted we have a request to comment on a proposed Solar Farm , Shop and car charging points at Rocks Lane – this effects Little Horsted (the access and egress May fall within the Parish boundary).  In the event of you wishing to comment on the above proposal, the following observations might be useful.                                                             

For the proposal :

1. There is an environmental desirability to create more carbon free power.
2 . There is a need for more charging points  as we move away from fossil fuels 
3. The Government is encouraging Local Authorities to supply adequate Charging points to meet this future requirement.
4.  Charging Points adjacent to the A22 might reduce traffic ,seeking such facilities, in Uckfield.
                                                      

Against the Proposal:

1. The undertaking given by Wealden ,at the time of the Ridgewood /Sangs site  debate ,that further commercial development south of the A 22 would be avoided.
2 . The Rocks Lane area would be visually impaired  by the proposal.
3.  It’s the wrong place for such a development.
4. The future potential growth of the site would be considerable – car cleaning and associated activities would facilitate the spillover of development from Ridgewood/ Uckfield which was foreseen,in earlier negotiations with the District Authority and expressly excluded.
5. There are already 2 Solar Farms within 5 miles.
6.  Consequentially (5) due to this ,Glyndbourne and other small scale generation the existing local power transmission system is currently virtually  at capacity.
7. The Proposers of these schemes now have significant financial inducements to push for the commissioning of such developments- regardless of actual (local) need.
8. We believe that there is enough existing infrastructure to meet the need for charging points- supermarkets, pub carparks, garages , Council facilities etc without building on a rather beautiful green field site.
    At this stage we have merely advised the Proposers that “due to the prior undertaking from Wealden (see  against the proposal  1) this  concept is unacceptable.

I hope that the above can assist your deliberations and feel free to contact them/ us with your views.

                              Yours sincerely,

                                Simon Autie            

Chairman Little Horsted Parish Meeting)