Dundee Airport has objected to plans for one of Scotland’s largest solar arrays to be built in Angus.
The contentious plans for solar panels at Berryhill Farm has caused a slew of objections from locals.
Naming themselves Spare (Save and Protect Angus Rural Environment), the group is made of up dozens of residents from surrounding villages such as Berryhill, Liff and Fowlis.
And now Dundee Airport has joined the opposition to the plans by firm Solar 2. They fear glint and glare from the 152,00 panels may affect pilots as they approach the runway.
Why is Hial concerned?
The safeguarding team at Hial, who run the airport, note the site lies within the “safeguarding zone” of Dundee Airport.
They claim the plans may “impact the safeguarding criteria” of the airport.
The objection adds that glint or glare can distract pilots during take-off, landing or during flight.
The safeguarding team added: “The planning statement makes reference to a glint or glare assessment having been carried out, with no significant impacts for aviation receptors predicted.
“However, Hial require evidence of this assessment in order to determine the impact on aviation safety.”
The airport will reassess its objection if evidence is provided.
How will glint and glare be reduced?
Neil Linday, Solar 2 development director, is confident Dundee Airport will rescind their objection.
“It’s currently a holding objection, they just want to see the evidence there will not be an issue with glint or glare.
“That has been prepared and we are confident there will be no objection after that.
“Hial is just being precautionary.”
Solar 2 documentation suggests glare will not be an issue because the panels would be “outside a pilot’s primary field of view” if approaching from the west.
However, if approaching from the east, there will be a “low potential for temporary after-image”. This, Solar 2 documents claim, would be “acceptable for approaching pilots with reference to industry best practice”.
Airplanes take off and land into the the wind. In general, that means they will land from the east and take off in a west direction in Dundee.
What other objections does Berryhill solar farm face?
Among the issues highlighted by the other 18 objections to the solar array are flooding and whether it is a suitable use of arable land at Berryhill Farm.
Neil said these issues were also brought up at the consultation stage. As a result, Solar 2 prepared a newsletter to distribute among the community.
It states that a “detailed hydrological” impact assessment finds there will be no increased risk of flooding. Despite this, a drainage strategy has been drawn up.
A Spare spokesman said: “No-one doubts the need for green energy, but this is, quite frankly, a bad plan for a good area.”
“For a whole variety of reasons from the impact on the local environment to setting a potentially hugely damaging precedent, the proposal is just plain wrong.”
A decision on the plans is expected at an Angus Council meeting later this year.
Are there solar panels near other airports?
Neil noted that solar panels at Errol are also near Dundee Airport. However, that site is further away than Berryhill and is covered by more foliage.
He also highlighted solar panels near Gatwick and plans, reported by the BBC last month, for an 11-acre solar array near an Edinburgh Airport runway.
It may provide 26% of the airport’s energy needs.
The Scottish Government has ploughed £2 million into those plans.