October 9, 2012
England

Noise expert set to probe wind farm proposals near Burnham-On-Sea

www.burnham-on-sea.com 9 October 2012

Campaigners fighting plans for a new wind farm near Burnham-On-Sea have this week welcomed the news that Sedgemoor District Council has appointed an independent noise expert to assess the risk of noise pollution from the proposed wind turbines.

Energy firm Broadview wants to construct four 130-metre tall wind turbines – each as tall as Brent Knoll – on land at Pilrow Farm, south of Rooksbridge.

NoPilrow spokesman David Maund told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “It is good that Sedgemoor is taking the issue of noise seriously, but unfortunately, the legislation regulating noise and wind farms is considered by many noise consultants to be not fit for purpose.”

He added: “In their planning application, Broadview states that operational noise levels from the wind farm will be within levels deemed, by national guidance, to be acceptable for wind energy schemes and would not have any significant effects upon residential amenity.”

“I imagine residents near the Fullabrook wind farm in North Devon were given similar reassurances by the developer. Recently, the local press in Devon reported that the wind farm exceeded the acceptable level of noise and breached the planning conditions.”

David explained: “Since Fullabrook wind farm would have met the standard dictated by the ETSU-97 legislation during the planning phase, it is surely obvious that this legislation is no longer sufficiently rigorous for the much larger turbines now being employed.”

“The issue of noise pollution doesn’t stop with audible sound. Wind turbines emit infrasound which has a frequency too low to be heard by the human ear. Although infrasound is not audible it may possibly be the cause of symptoms known as Wind Turbine Syndrome.”

“English Heritage has already stated that Broadview’s Environmental Impact Statement is flawed, now Sedgemoor planners feel it necessary to conduct independent noise assessments, I wonder how many more inaccuracies may be in Broadview’s planning submission.”

More than 300 letters, of which over 95% are opposed to the scheme, have been lodged with Sedgemoor District Council’s planning department, which is currently considering Broadview’s planning application.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/10/09/noise-expert-set-to-probe-wind-farm-proposals-near-burnham-on-sea/