An important message from Freckenham Parish Council about the Sunnica solar and battery storage planning application

Thank you to all who registered by the 17^th March 2022

More than 1350 registrations are now visible on the Planning Inspectorate website; search for “Planning Inspectorate Sunnica” and select the “Relevant Representations” tab, or use this link.

The full Development Consent Order (DCO) application by Sunnica has been published online on the Planning Inspectorate website; search for “Planning Inspectorate Sunnica” and select the “Documents” tab, or use this link.

Can I submit more detailed comments later?

• Yes, if you registered by the 17^th March 2022, you can submit more detailed comments later if you wish. You may have strong views or specific knowledge about a particular aspect of the application.
• Registering by the 17^th March 2022 was called making a “Relevant Representation”.
• Any later comments you send are known as “Written Representations”, and will be due by a series of deadlines covering different subject areas. The Planning Inspectorate will advise you of the dates in good time.

Did the Parish Council Make a Relevant Representation?

• The Parish Council's representation has been published here.

Who can I talk to about this?

• Any Parish Councillor or the Clerk
  07759 263349 or freckenhamparishclerk@hotmail.com
• The Community Action Group
  www.saynotosunnica.com or nosunnica@gmail.com

What is the Sunnica scheme?

The proposal covers solar photovoltaic generating panels and electrical battery storage technology on approximately 2800 acres of farmland around Worlington, Freckenham, Isleham, Chippenham and Snailwell. Also associated infrastructure and underground cabling for connection to the National Grid, including an extension to the Burwell National Grid Substation.

Freckenham Parish Council objects to the Sunnica proposal. This position has been confirmed by a household survey during October 2020 when 96% of respondents indicated they were against the proposed scheme as described in the Statutory Consultation.

What's next?

The next step in the process is called the Examination, which will last up to 6 months and include hearings held in the local area. Dates and times for the Examination and hearings will be published on the Planning Inspectorate website. There is a useful advice sheet about the Examination here

If you registered, you will be kept up-to-date about the Examination, have the opportunity to make further written comments, and have the opportunity to attend site meetings and the open floor hearings. You are not required to speak at hearings unless you have asked (registered) to do so.

Links to further information about the proposal

Applicant's website

Planning Inspectorate (PINS) website, Sunnica page

Video from the Planning Inspectorate about the planning process

West Suffolk Council website, Sunnica page

Say No To Sunnica (Community Action Group) website

Archive documents (most recent first)

• ·Relevant Representation by West Suffolk Council
• ·Relevant Representation by Suffolk County Council
• ·Relevant Representation by Freckenham Parish Council
• ·Letter to West Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council on their Adequacy of Consultation response 
• ·Villager Survey on the effectiveness of the Statutory Consultation
• ·Statutory Consultation Response from the Parish Council
• ·Letter to Sunnica about the Statutory Consultation, and Sunnica's response.
• ·Villager Survey on the scheme design during the Statutory Consultation
• ·Letter from Sunnica responding to the Parish Council's questions about the scheme 
• ·Non-Statutory Consultation Response from the Parish Council
• ·Villager Survey on the scheme design during the Non-Statutory Consultation

Withdrawal of the Freckenham Estate from the Sunnica Scheme

Please see latest statement below from Richard Tuke. 

Our withdrawal from the scheme does not prevent Sunnica from including our land in their submission to the Inspectorate nor does it stop them from applying for compulsory powers to purchase our land should they choose to do so. We have however written the Inspectorate formally telling them that Sunnica are including our land without permission, they have noted this and included it in their records. In summary Sunnica has no permission to use our land for the project and it will not get permission; we however cannot stop them submitting an application that includes our land although we will make sure our objection is properly noted as part of the process.