Councillors at East Cambridgeshire District Council have agreed they will not support Sunnica during a special hearing of the planning committee on Thursday (3 November 2022).
The meeting which took place at Mandeville Hall in Burwell considered the installation of solar photovoltaic generating panels and electrical battery storage technology on Sunnica East and Sunnica West sites which will stretch across four locations, including the East Cambridgeshire villages of Isleham, Chippenham, Kennett and Snailwell; and Freckenham and Worlington in Suffolk.
It also took into account the associated infrastructure necessary for connection to the national grid at Burwell.
Councillors heard representations against the application from Rt Hon Lucy Frazer, MP for South East Cambridgeshire, who represents constituents in Isleham, Snailwell, Chippenham, Kennett, Fordham and Burwell.
Five objectors also spoke about issues relating to the safety of battery storage facilities, and the impact on the horseracing industry at Newmarket and on local farmers. A representative from Chippenham Parish Council also spoke on behalf of residents who were against the scheme.
Presentations in support of the application were given by the applicant, Sunnica Ltd, and a member of the public who lives in Burwell, who spoke about the climate crisis.
While noting a desire to support renewable energy development, councillors unanimously voted to refuse the application. They agreed with the officer’s report that the negative impact of the development would outweigh the benefits of generating renewable energy.
A full recording of the special Planning Committee meeting can be viewed online.
Sunnica Ltd is proposing to build a nationally significant energy farm generating in excess of 50MW of renewable electricity.
Because the Sunnica Energy Site is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) the decision on whether to grant planning permission rests with the Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and not East Cambridgeshire District Council.
Instead, the Council is a Statutory Consultee and will now make a Written Representation on the application to the Planning Inspectorate which administers the application process on behalf of the Secretary of State, no later than 11 November.
This examination process is likely to conclude around the end of March, after which the Secretary of State then has a further three months to make the decision on whether to grant or refuse development consent.