PTD OSC 17 December 2013 – Urgent Update

The Planning Policy Advice Note for Large Scale Solar PV Arrays does not currently make reference to the ecological impact of polarised light pollution on biodiversity.  This omission should be rectified and it is recommended that the following paragraph be inserted after paragraph 3.50 on page 87 of the agenda:

“Polarising light from reflective arrays is understood to have a significant negative impact on invertebrates, especially aquatic species that mistake glare from the arrays for water.  Design can help to overcome these impacts by, for example, locating arrays away from water bodies and incorporating non-polarising patterns and borders into designs that block horizontal light.”