'Glint and glare' risk to pilots blocks Test Valley solar farm

The Civil Aviation Authority said pilots using Thruxton airfield could be affected

Published 27th Sep 2023

A solar farm - which could provide electricity for 10% of the homes in Test Valley - has been blocked over concerns about pilot safety.

Councillors heard possible 'glint and glare' from the proposed farm could cause a hazard for pilots using Thruxton Airfield.

Novus Renewable Services had applied to build the 22 mega-watt solar farm on a site beside the A303 at a farm at Quarley.

The Civil Aviation Authority's airfield advisory team told Test Valley planners the solar farm would pose an unacceptable risk to operations at Thruxton, due to the potential for glint and glare distracting pilots.

Thruxton's operators said the airfield was mainly used for pilot training and the solar farm presented an unacceptable impact on them.

Hampshire Air Ambulance which operates from the airfield said they didn't have objection and the solar farm received near 150 letters of support.

But council planning officials said the farm would have an unacceptable impact on the safe operation of Thruxton and councillors agreed with them.

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