A SCHEME to build one of Britain’s biggest solar farms in the Test Valley countryside is a step closer to becoming reality.

And next Tuesday could be crunch time for the German green energy giant Kronos and its plans for a scaled down project on fields at Eveley Farm in Houghton.

This week Test Valley borough council’s southern area planning committee ignored officers’ advice and approved Kronos’s amended scheme for 185,000 panels covering 150 acres.

Last year the council turned down Kronos’s first application for an even larger solar farm on the site and the firm appealed against the decision and a public inquiry is due to start on May 13.

Now Kronos say they will drop that appeal if they are allowed to go ahead with the new scheme.

Because councillors went against their officers’ recommendations the latest application must now go before the planning control committee on Tuesday.

Kronos MD, Dr Alexander Arcache said: “We want to drop the appeal if the planning control committee gives us permission.”

Dr Arcache added: “It was fantastic to get the support of the southern area committee. Primarily we have reduced the original size of the project by 20 per cent and we’ve taken measures to reduce the visual impact on the landscape. We have also noted enormous local support for the scheme with over 600 signatures collected.”

Steven Tidy and Pete Beckley from Broughton Pro Solar group said that the scheme was needed to help tackle climate change and provide renewable energy objections.

Mr Tidy said that he’d lived in Broughton for 60 years and he’d seen many changes to the landscape over the decades and he did not believe the proposals would have the impact some people suggested.

He said more than 600 people had signed a petition supporting the plans including 384 Broughton residents.

During Tuesday’s debate on the plans, North Baddesley ward’s Celia Dowden said the borough council should be setting an example and approving more green energy schemes.

“I supported the last application. People have been saying put solar panels on buildings and I think it is about time Test Valley Borough Council started putting them on its own buildings. But putting them on buildings is not enough, we need them in places like this too,” said Mrs Dowden.

Her husband Alan Dowden, who is Valley Park ward’s member, went further: “I am really disappointed with the officer’s recommendation to refuse this application.

“I am a great believer in solar farms and providing green a democracy. This application will support renewable energy and people should remember the winter flooding two years ago brought about by climate change. We have an opportunity here to do something about and I very much hope that we lose the appeal.”

Broughton and Stockbridge member Peter Boulton said he voted against the original scheme because of its potential visual impact on the countryside.

“This one is smaller and more acceptable and I am happier with it,” said Mr Boulton.

Romsey Tadburn member Mark Cooper said he walked the proposed site to help him make his mind up which way to vote.

“I was staggered at the poor quality of the soil where it has been ploughed for the last 50 to 60 years or so. Twenty five years of life as a solar farm would lead to the partial restoration of the soil,” said Mr Cooper who dispelled people’s concerns that people would be able to see the solar panels from Grade I listed Marsh Court at Stockbridge designed by Edwin Lutyens.

“With the angle of the solar panels, you would be very hard pressed to see Marsh Court from the site,” added Mr Cooper.

His fellow ward member, Romsey mayor Peter Hurst, could not agree with the majority of the committee.

Local campaign group, Broughton Against Kronos Solar (BAKS), is fighting the proposals.

BAKS member Alan Josling said: “Aside from the fact that the first application by Kronos is currently at appeal, this application has been rushed through – it was only considered by the Southern Area Planning Committee on Tuesday and due to its approval against the recommendation of planning officers, it is due to go before the Planning Control Committee just a week later.

“We have compared this scheme with the previous scheme, which was refused locally, and have found little difference in the design or size of this huge solar farm.

“There is strong feeling locally and regionally, demonstrated by the amount of objections the application has received that this solar farm should not be allowed at this location. If approved, the huge solar farm would have a detrimental impact on the landscape in the area and spoil the view for miles around.”