Horndean has recently seen the addition of a Solar Farm to the West of Lovedean (Behind the Bird in Hand) and proposals are emerging for a second site just to the south of Hazleton Farm on the marshy land where the ‘Horndean Race Track’ is currently based. This fits in around the perimeter of the proposed ‘Land East Of Horndean’ development. The screening application advises it will be 60,000 panels on 50 Hectares supplying 23Mw of power at peak times, enough for 5,000 homes (about the size of Horndean as it is now).
I have to say I am not thrilled about it as it is very large, and it will build on open space and wildlife habitat. The only redeeming factors are that the land is not visible from anywhere, the panels will not reflect into the proposed development, and the land has minimal use as farmland. The energy companies plans will no doubt explain how they will ensure the ecology is not harmed, but perhaps improved as a result. On balance it will provide clean energy for a large number of local homes which is very important.
The company has submitted an EIA Screening application (which is to determine the amount of environmental assessment work that is required to submit a full application) and no doubt a formal application will follow.
Sadly, the community gets very little in the way of Section 106 funds (developers contributions) from these schemes.
Here is a link to the EIA Screening application
And here is a map showing the location of the proposals.
horndeanmatters 
Guy your against this because of the effect on wildlife habitat? But your happy for 700 Homes plus school plus commercial unit and all the vehicles that come with this massive development, what would you say is a good number of vehicles that will come off this site daily,? 1400 or over 2000 because of the employment, the school and the residents, what would you put the numbers at Guy?
Steve. The LEOH development is going to introduce traffic and the community at large knows this. What is clear is that if this continues to be on sites like the Havant Road site in Horndean then 100% of the traffic each way goes through our village roads. If the proposed White Dirt Farm development were allowed then every single car journey from the 135 homes would have brought additional traffic into and out of the village. I think, and I am confident the community does too, that LEOH gives the best chance to minimise the impact of future development on our village roads.