PLANS for a controversial £500m power transfer plant which will revolutionise electricity supply across Hampshire are set to go before civic chiefs today.

National Grid is planning a major new energy infrastructure project, known as IFA2, which links the UK national grid to France.

Today members of Fareham Borough Council’s planning committee will decide on proposals to build the new electricity interconnector at Daedalus airfield near Fareham following successful tests earlier this month to check whether the project interfered with aircraft and airfield operations.

Councillor Sean Woodward, leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: "I asked for practical tests to be carried out at Daedalus with real cables carrying the full current and real aircraft to pass over them to demonstrate whether there were any adverse effects on aircraft systems.

“There was not and this information will go to the planning committee, along with all of the other evidence and public comments for consideration.”

Councillor Nick Walker, chairman of Fareham Borough Council's planning committee, added: "This special meeting of the committee is open to the public and I would encourage residents to come to the meeting to hear more about the IFA2 plans."

Under the plans, the proposed converter site in Fareham would receive electricity from the French grid as direct current and would convert it to alternating current, which is used domestically in the UK and France.

This energy would then be transferred to a substation at Chilling, near Warsash, which would connect to the national grid.

However, the development has received strong opposition with more than 1,000 people objecting to the plans.

Cllr Graham Burgess, who represents Lee East on neighbouring Gosport Borough Council, described the project as a “blot” on the landscape and “harm” its public image.

He added: "If this does go ahead as planned I fear the impact it will have on the people and commerce of Lee.”

Councillor Carolyn Heneghan, who represents Stubbington, added: “1,000 residents, who do not want this huge monstrosity, are being overruled by five people on the planning committee."

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage added: "I am concerned about the potential implications of the interconnector for aircraft operations and businesses in the Enterprise Zone.

"It simply is in the wrong location. It should have gone to the Chilling substation near Warsash or the former Fawley power station."

The meeting will commence at 2pm at the Fareham civic offices.