Resource Library Category: Wales (7 items)
Documents presented here are not the product of nor are they necessarily endorsed by National Wind Watch. This resource library is provided to assist anyone wishing to research the issue of industrial wind power and the impacts of its development. The information should be evaluated by each reader to come to their own conclusions about the many areas of debate.
Wind Turbines (Minimum Distances from Residential Premises) Bill
Source: House of Lords
A Bill To Make provision for a minimum distance between wind turbines and residential premises according to the size of the wind turbine; and for connected purposes.
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1. Planning permission
(1) No relevant authority may grant planning permission for the construction of a wind turbine generator unless it meets the minimum distance requirement under section 2, subject to the exception in section 3.
(2) “Relevant authority” means the local authority or government department with the power to grant planning permission for a wind turbine generator.
2. Requirements for minimum distance
(1) The “minimum distance requirement” means the necessary minimum distance between the wind turbine generator and residential premises as set out in subsection (4).
(2) “Residential premises” means any premises the main purpose of which is to provide residential accommodation, including farmhouses.
(3) If a number of wind turbine generators are being built as part of the same project the minimum distance requirement applies to each wind turbine generator individually.
(4) If the height of the wind turbine generator is—
(a) greater than 25m, but does not exceed 50m, the minimum distance requirement is 1000m;
(b) greater than 50m, but does not exceed 100m, the minimum distance requirement is 1500m;
(c) greater than 100m, but does not exceed 150m, the minimum distance requirement is 2000m;
(d) greater than 150m, the minimum distance requirement is 3000m.
(5) The height of the wind turbine generator is measured from the ground to the end of the blade tip at its highest point.
(6) There is no minimum distance requirement if the height of the wind turbine generator does not exceed 25m.
(7) If planning permission is granted on the condition that the proposed wind turbine generator meets the minimum distance requirement under subsection (5) the actual height of the wind turbine generator must not exceed the maximum height in relation to that minimum distance.
3. Exception
(1) The local authority may grant planning permission for the construction of a wind turbine generator which does not meet the minimum distance requirement under section 2(4) if the condition under subsection (2) is met.
(2) The condition is that the owners of all residential premises which fall within the minimum distance requirement for the proposed wind turbine generator must agree in writing to the construction of the wind turbine generator.
(3) It is the duty of a relevant authority to ensure that no written agreement is elicited by unlawful means and that all necessary written agreements have been received before planning permission is granted.
4. Short title and extent
(1) This Act shall be known as the Wind Turbines (Minimum Distances from Residential Premises) Act 2010.
(2) This Act extends to England and Wales.
House of Lords, Session 2010 – 11
Sponsor: Lord Reay
1st reading: House of Lords 26 July, 2010
Web site: services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/windturbinesminimumdistancesfromresidentialpremiseshl.html
2nd reading: House of Lords 10 June 2011
[Note: 1000 metres = 3281 feet = 0.62 mile; 50 metres = 164 feet]
Download original document: “Wind Turbines (Minimum Distances from Residential Premises) Bill (HL)”
Economics, Emissions, Environment, Health, Noise, Property values, Wales, Wildlife •
Formal objection to Tirgwynt wind farm application
Source: Conservation of Upland Powys
Conservation of Upland Powys was formed by people living within the county, our members range from families that have farmed the same land for generations to those who have more recently chosen the tranquillity, beauty and quality of mid-Wales life for their home. Our diverse membership, from all ages and all walks of life, shares the commitment to preserve the unspoilt uplands of Powys from inappropriate development for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone. We have inherited the timeless beauty of these landscapes from our forebears and we recognise our duty to hand these pristine landscapes and environments on to future generations in the same, or better condition as we received them. The proliferation of wind turbines is a serious current and long-term threat to upland wildlife, landscapes and the ways of life that they support. We base our statements and conclusions on real world evidence and find none to support the contention that wind farms will provide secure, reliable electricity or reduce carbon dioxide levels.
To begin we refer you to The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study which is a major international initiative to draw attention to the global economic benefits of biodiversity, to highlight the growing costs of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, and to draw together expertise from the fields of science, economics and policy to enable practical actions moving forward. http://www.teebweb.org/
The access to information in the EIA is grossly inadequate and not in keeping with Equal Opportunities or Social Inclusion legislation.
The fragmentation of information throughout numerous volumes and chapters of the application makes the assimilation of information time consuming and arduous. We question whether the information provided by the developers complies with DDA regulations and whether it is reasonable to expect local people to pay to be able to study the information; or alternatively travel to the nearest large town to view the ES for a short period. This and the other similar applications do not comply with Equal Opportunities or Social Inclusion objectives identified by Westminster and The National Assembly For Wales. With the best will in the world it would be almost impossible for any member of the public to study the documents in the Powys County Council Offices; the documents are difficult to navigate. We also point out that in the hardcopy some pages are not numbered and in the DVD copy the index/contents page does not work electronically: such simple matters left undone, but an example of the standard of this piece of work.
We conclude from information assimilated so far that this application is disproportionate, causing severe degradation of the landscape and social and economic dislocation for only a marginal, or even illusory, benefit. The layout is in conflict with the area and even with other applications. The LANDMAP description of Esgair Cwm Owen Uplands uses positive adjectives (harmonious, attractive) in contrast to adjacent upland areas where wind farms are sited. …
Appeal Decision – Gorsedd Bran, Nantglyn, Wales
Source: Wild, Stuart
by Stuart B Wild, MRTPI MCIM,
an Inspector appointed by the Welsh Ministers,
18/11/09
The development proposed is the construction of 13 wind turbine generators (up to 125m in overall height) c/w electrical control room & compound area, new & improved access tracks, underground cabling, 80m anemometry mast, ancillary works and equipment; temporary construction works; new vehicular access from the minor county road; removal of conifer forest.
Decision: I dismiss the appeal.
Main issues: I consider that the main issues in this case are the visual effects of the proposal, both within the locality and from more distant views such as from the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB); and the effects of noise on the amenity of residents within the locality.
Overall Conclusions: I conclude that this proposal would be in serious conflict with the appropriate UDP policy. The benefits of the provision of renewable energy would not outweigh the harm I have identified. The imposition of conditions would not overcome these strong planning objections. Therefore, for the reasons given above, I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed.
[Importantly, as the developer had noted, "The site is in Area A of the Strategic Search Area (SSA) as designated by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) in Technical Advice Note 8 (TAN 8). Gorsedd Bran also sits within the refined area as designated by the joint Denbighshire/Conwy County Council Interim Planning Guidance (IPG). Despite being within a designated wind farm development zone and contrary to the recommendation of Council Planning Officers the scheme has been refused planning consent."]
Download original document: “Appeal Decision – Gorsedd Bran, Nantglyn, Wales”
Wind farm illness
Source: Burkhardt, Gwen
SIR – There seems to be a great deal of controversy about the effect of wind turbine noises on human health.
I can assure everyone who needs to know, that some people like myself have found it impossible to live near them.
I had lived on our family farm for 27 years. I was living in the community where I grew up and where some of my family still live.
We had invested a great deal of our time into our home, and had even built a retirement home for ourselves, the place where I wished to spend the rest of my life.
However, in 2001, three massive wind turbines were erected within a mile of our home.
I wasn’t very concerned about them, at the start.
Having been in the best of health, thankfully, for most of my life, I couldn’t understand why I was suddenly feeling very unwell for no apparent reason.
Racing pulse, heart palpitations, a strange churning in my head, a feeling of nausea, a terrible unease and a need to escape. Sleep became difficult too.
I visited my doctor on several occasions, but she found nothing.
It took me about ten months to realise that there was a connection between my illness and the low-frequency noise emitting from the wind turbines.
At first I realised that, when I was away from home, I suddenly felt “normal” again which was a wonderful feeling, believe me.
I had suffered from tinnitus before this time and had been examined by a consultant at Glangwili Hospital. He gave me hearing tests and declared that I could hear very well, indeed especially in the low frequency range. Then I realised that when the turbines had their back towards me was when I felt most unwell.
I kept a diary of my illness, and I wrote to my MP.
I did not want to leave my home but eventually, after talking to another woman who had suffered the same symptoms as me, living near other turbines, I eventually had to face the fact the wretched things were there to stay and that we would have to move.
Now, 18 months later, after the trauma of leaving my home, I am again, thankfully, in the best of health.
Low-frequency sound sufferers exist. I also suffer from the low sound emitted by aeroplanes – before I can actually hear them I ‘feel’ them approaching, then I hear them and then I ‘feel’ them retreating.
Like everyone else I spoke to living near wind turbines, I could not hear any noise at all in the conventional way, not any sound at all. I have no axe to grind in this argument, I simply left.
But these wind turbines should not be built so near to people’s homes.
GWEN BURKHARDT
The Nook, New Quay
June 6, 2005
