How the development affects our wildlife

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Habitats are homes for plants and animals which when they come together to form systems called ecosystems. Ecosystems are central to the maintenance of life comprising the Carbon cycle, the Nitrogen cycle and the Water cycle. In nature the more complex the system then the more stable and biodiverse it is.  

• The Environment Act 2020 mandates an approach for all new developments in England to ensure the delivery of biodiversity net gain 
• Local authorities have a responsibility for enhancing biodiversity and, 
• The planning authority, has a duty to conserving biodiversity as part of planning decision-making.   

There have been various studies looking at the risk posed by solar farms to habitats and diversity:

• 2011 - Natural England noted  the negative impact solar development could have in areas of high ecological value. 
• 2016 - A study by Lancaster University stated that species diversity and plant diversity was lower under solar panels.
• 2017 - A Natural England report stated that solar farms may fragment habitats and solar panels can effect the movement of species, hiding places, preying strategies and availability of food. Effects on local microclimates and soil temperature were noted.  

In the literature, concerns have been raised that solar panel developments have the potential to negatively impact a broad range of birds, bats, mammals, insects and plants.

There are some studies that point to benefits to biodiversity from solar farms but these tend to relate to preserving the environments already present around the solar farms eg exisitng hedges, trees, ponds, verges etc or building new environments outside of the developments eg ponds.

We believe much more research and evidence is required before it can be stated that there will not be a significant adverse biodiversity impact from solar farms. We all understand the need to move towards renewable energy sources but more needs to be done to investigate how new energy technologies and the environment in which they are sited interact.

This is the RES view:

• Solar farms have significant potential to enhance biodiversity, hosting a range of habitats including wildflower meadows, hedgerows, nectar-rich areas for pollinators, and woodland. 
• A typical solar farm uses around just 5% of the total site area with the rest of the land remaining undisturbed, creating significant opportunities to provide a range of ecological benefits. 
• And that's it - their entire commitment to biodiversity on their Shipmeadow solar website: www.shipmeadow-solarfarm.co.uk
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This is what we think about what they've said:

• The statements are generic, not specific to the proposed site eg exactly which woodland in the proposed site is being referred to?
• The potential to enhance biodiversity is not good enough. This is not the first development RES have undertaken so why can't they commit to exactly what they will enhance?
• RES are changing or removing the habitats, hunting grounds and routes used by a variety of wildlife. How is this an enhancement? Which species benefit and which lose out?
• RES are changing what people are experiencing and looking at when walking, running, cycling or horse riding through the proposed site today. Row upon row of very tall solar panels ringed by deer fencing and hedging is NOT enhancement.
•  RES says a solar farm uses around just 5% of the total site area. They want you to believe that although they will lease 300 acres solar panels will only take up 15 acres (5%). They argue  that only the legs of the panel frames and the inverters touch the ground therefore only 5% of the total area is used. This is complete nonsense. The argument is the equivalent of saying that a car only uses that part of a car park where it's tyres touch the tarmac.
• This is clearly an attempt to fool people into believing the solar farm is far less visible and damaging to than it is in reality.

• Remember this policy statement from East Suffolk Council: Proposals will not be supported if they have a direct or indirect adverse impact on locally recognised sites of biodiversity or geodiversity importance, including County Wildlife Sites?
• The Commons are a designated County Wildlife Site (CWS) and many of the Commons in Ilketshall St Andrew, and Shipmeadow are either very close to the proposed development eg Shipmeadow Common, Blacksmiths Common & Mill Common and/or it will be possible to see the development from the Common itself eg Great Common. 
• There is a risk that wildlife inhabiting the Common, the surrounding environment and the proposed development, will find the change too great an environmental shock and move on. 
• The CWS designation acknowledges their key role in conserving Suffolk’s biodiversity and the high value of the site as characteristic and supportive of threatened species and habitats. It also highlights the importance of careful management to protect and enhance wildlife habitats which can easily deteriorate if neglected or managed in an unfavourable way. It would be a disaster if this proposal damaged the Commons in any way http://www.ilketshallcommons.co.uk/county-wildlife-site.html  

In the summer months on the Commons and around carpets of Buttercups, drifts of Oxeye Daisy and the delicate Early Purple Orchid are visible.

Roadside Nature Reserve

On the B1062 is a Roadside Nature Reserve (RNR) where flora such as Common Spotted Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid and Common Broomrape can be found. These verges are conserved because they are very old, on the edges of routes that have changed little over the centuries. The RNR will preserve the species for future generations to enjoy but will be threatened from the increase in construction traffic volumes for the solar farm site. For more detail follow this link: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/planning-waste-and-environment/suffolks-countryside-and-wildlife/landscape-and-wildlife/suffolks-roadside-nature-reserves-interactive-map 

RES proposes to surround the whole 300 acre solar farm with 8 foot high deer proof fencing to prevent any damage to the solar panels.

Most commonly seen at dawn and dusk, deer are regular visitors right across the whole site as they move to feed and rest up during the daytime. Roe, Fallow and Muntjac and Chinese Water deer are regularly sighted across agricultural fields, along field margins and on the commons themselves. The introduction of 8 ft high deer proof fencing will block their access to water and ‘lying up’ territory and push them further towards the busy B1064 and A143 roads on both sides of the site where traffic accidents involving deer will become more frequent.

Badger sets are used by generations of the same family group and their community territory may be up to 90-100acres in size. Badgers and their setts are protected by law and cannot be harmed or destroyed without a special licence. Under the Protection of Badgers Act (1992,) it is illegal to harm, kill, or interfere with badgers or their setts, and failure to comply with the legislation can lead to six months imprisonment.

Badgers are creatures of habit and tend to follow regular pathways between their setts and foraging grounds all their lives, travelling between one and two and a half miles in their search for food. Given the close proximity of the proposed RES Solar Farm, how will they hunt and forage along their pathways if the area is criss-crossed with 8 foot high deer fencing? A badger cannot climb a fence and its regular routes to food and water may be blocked.

During the construction phase of the development, thousands of solar panel support legs will need to be pile driven into the ground. Surely the vibrations will cause harm to the underground tunnels and chambers? The badgers themselves will react by remaining underground for long periods of time.

How will RES respond to the need to protect both the animals themselves and their habitat?

Like badgers, foxes live in extended family groups in dens and are mainly active at night. They will face the same problems as badgers as they are too large to get through the deer fencing surrounding the solar farm. This means that fox families will be deprived of their water sources, hunting grounds and land used for ‘lying up’ during the day.

The historic open grassland proves an ideal hunting ground for Barn Owl, Kestrel, and in recent years Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Red Kite. What will the impact on these birds of prey be, when the open fields are covered with solar panels?

Orange Tip butterflies, Norfolk hawker dragonflies and other insects whose habitats could be impacted negatively by the proposed solar farm. 

The Great Crested Newt is frequently to be found around much of land in around the proposed solar farm site in various ponds and damp areas of some of the Commons or the land nearby. Most newts are only in the water from March to August and spend the rest of the time hiding under stones, leaves, logs and in tree crevices, living on earthworms, snails, spiders and insects. The rough, bumpy skin of the great crested newt gives it its other name of ‘warty newt’. It has an orange underbelly with black markings unique to each individual. The species has declined in Britain due to the loss of breeding ponds and is strictly protected. What impact will the proposed solar farm have on this species especially water run-off from panels?