A campaign group says it is "appalled" by an "insensitive" plan to build a solar energy farm over a ‘war grave’ in an East Cambridgeshire village - however the company says the development would exclude a portion of the crash site.

The Say No To Sunnica Community Group allege that Sunnica Ltd's mitigation proposals for the field in Isleham where the bomber tragically crashed and exploded include a small 'exclusion zone' in part of the field which would not be covered with panels and inverters.

But, says Dr Catherine Judkins, chair of the group, "the crash covered an extensive area - several craters formed when the plane tragically crashed and the live bombs (some 8000lb worth of bombs) that it had been carrying exploded. 

"It is considered by residents as a post-war 'grave' and people feel it should not be developed at all, out of respect for the crew and the incredible sacrifice they made to save Isleham village. 

"The aircraft was completely destroyed and scattered over wide area. The bravery of the crew has been commemorated in the village for the past 75 years. A plaque bearing their names was unveiled in the village in 2020."

Her comments follow a six-month examination by expert planning examiners appointed by the Government's planning inspectorate (between September 2022 and March 2023), which included site visits and public hearings.

She adds that the examiners then spent a further three months deliberating before a 339-page report was submitted, recommending to the Secretary of State that the Sunnica scheme should not be consented. 

"There were too many harms that outweighed any benefits," added Dr Judkins, who said that the proposal was nonetheless approved

"Residents feel rightly aggrieved at the insensitivity of the proposal to develop over this important field, hiding it behind security fencing and screening – and the approval of it by the Secretary of State for DESNZ, who went against the recommendation of the expert Examining Authority (ExA) who had said the scheme should not be consented," she said.

"The ExA had visited the field where the huge bomber crashed and exploded and recognised the harm the Sunnica scheme would cause it, saying it weighed significantly against the Development Consent Order being made. 

"They said that the proposal does not demonstrate adequate and appropriate mitigation for potential effects on the Isleham plane crash site. "

"The Sec of State disagreed with the ExA’s conclusions about the crash site and proceeded to grant consent which, sadly, includes development of this important field."

A Sunnica spokesperson however said: "We will not be developing the crash site. 

"In recognition of its importance, there will be an exclusion zone around the site and public access to a viewing place with an information board and commemorative plaque. This will represent the first formal recognition of the crash site itself.

"The assessments that we undertook in preparing the project included geophysical surveys which accurately confirmed the exact location of the crash for the first time. 

"The area was subject to a thorough recovery operation following the crash. The remains of the aircraft and the bodies of the crew were recovered, and the field has remained in agricultural use since.

"We submitted a Detailed Archaeological Mitigation Strategy and Outline Historic Environment Management Plan (OHEMP) to the Secretary of State, these documents establish measures and processes to protect this site and other sensitive sites during construction, operation, and decommissioning.

"The Secretary of State considered our approach to the crash site when determining our application for development consent.

"In his decision letter he confirmed our approach to be appropriate and that it would give rise to more acknowledgement of the location of the crash than had previously existed." 

Dr Judkins disagrees however: “This field where these brave men gave their lives is considered a local ‘(post)war grave’.

“It’s hugely disrespectful to want to develop over it, especially when we know that buried remains still exist due to the severe explosion and widespread scatter after the crash.

“We want to preserve important sites such as this, which form a key part of Isleham’s village history.

“People’s lives here would have been very different were it not for these 12 heroic men.

“I can’t stress enough how incredible the sacrifice they made to save this village was.”