GREEN campaigners have attacked a decision by county chiefs to shelve solar panels for 60 council buildings after Government incentives were halved.

Basingstoke Transition, a voluntary group, said even with lower subsidies photovoltaic panels could generate cash for councils and accused the county of being “too conservative in its conclusions that solar panels will make no sensible financial return.”

They spoke out as Hampshire County Council's Cabinet today rubber-stamped shelving the scheme to install PV panels on 31,000 square feet of roof space - equal to four football pitches - at a cost of £3.5m before the end of this financial year.

The rethink came after ministers brought forward a deadline for halving the subsidies, known as feed-in-tariffs, from April 2012 to this month and county bosses said the business case stacked up differently.

Last June, officers said the scheme to harness the sun's energy would cut the local authority' electricity bill, pay for itself in 15 years and reduce its carbon footprint.

Council leader Ken Thornber added it had been an “appalling decision” by the Government that had “left the infant solar industry in tatters.”