Mallard Pass Action Group will fight solar farm decision

The leader of an action group against a solar farm says they are devastated it was approved - but that their fight will continue.

Sue Holloway, who established the Mallard Pass Action Group with her partner Keith Busfield, has fought hard for three years to hundreds of panels being located on land surrounding Essendine and the Rutland-Lincolnshire border.

When Keith died suddenly in March 2022, Sue and the action group continued the campaign work he had been passionate about.

Speaking after Ed Miliband’s decision to approve Mallard Pass on Friday last week, Sue said: “We were devastated to hear the news that the new secretary of state had approved plans for Mallard Pass after being in post for only three days.

“Just how the 438-page recommendation and associated documents from the Planning Inspectorate was assessed properly must be questionable, especially as two other huge developments were approved at the same time.

“Local councils did not support consent of the development. There was huge public opposition with the Planning Inspectorate receiving the highest level of opposition compared to all other large solar applications.

“The voice of the community and the local councils has not been fully considered.”

She added that the loss of productive agricultural land was at the heart of the community’s concerns, and described it as ‘nonsensical’.

“Mallard Pass will have one of the highest levels of best and most versatile (BMV) land of all large solar farms planned to date.

“Food security is as important as energy security, and arable land is finite.

“If we produce less, we import more, and increase our carbon footprint in doing so.”

Sue feels scant regard has been given to the change in the landscape and character of the area, which she believes will be transformed, “from one of open rolling countryside to an industrial one, with black glass, associated infrastructure, security fencing and cameras”. “Screening by way of planting hedgerows will take years to be effective and then not effective during the winter months.”

The concerns of the action group include a potentially greater risk of flooding due to ground compaction and run-off from the panels.

Sue said: “The real effects of ‘utility scale’ solar farms are unknown in the UK but there are huge concerns about the impact on wildlife through the industrialisation of the countryside causing a loss and change of habitat for many species.

“There was much talk about mental health and well-being during covid and the importance of green spaces and fresh air, yet there was little acknowledgement of this. Residents living in close proximity and walkers on public rights of way will not be able to escape the visual and noise impacts of all the solar infrastructure.”

Mallard Pass Action Group - along with Rutland and Stamford MP Alicia Kearns (Con) have highlighted concerns about panels being supplied to Mallard Pass from a Chinese-based company, where the human rights of workers may not be acceptable to people in the UK.

Sue said: “Considering this is a national infrastructure project it should be a prerequisite of the consent process to pay careful attention to who we grant permission to invest, construct and operate these solar plants to ensure we can protect both our energy security and national security.”

As a result of their wide-ranging concerns about Mallard Pass, the action group will ‘explore every possible option still open’ and is taking legal advice.

Anyone wishing to get in touch with the group can do so by emailing mallardpassactiongroup@gmail.com

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