Wind campaigners welcome noise report (From Tivyside Advertiser)
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Wind campaigners welcome noise report
3:57pm Tuesday 8th August 2006 in News
ANTI wind farm campaigners say a new report from the Noise Association backs their claims about the dangers of turbines being placed too near to homes.
People who live near the Blaen Bowi site above Newcastle Emlyn say the new information "endorses everything" they have been saying since the wind farm started operating there four years ago.
WindJen currently have an application into Carmarthenshire County Council to extend their operation there from three to six turbines.
"The county council is aware of this new report and I hope will take notice and make a stand and not allow the proposed extension to progress," said one campaigner, John Roworth, whose home at Blaen Bran is 700 metres from the turbines.
The Noise Association report recommends that turbines should not be sited within a mile of where people live.
"This is something I and others have said many times previously," said Mr Roworth. "Our own land starts only 350 metres from the nearest turbine and our house and garden is around 700 metres from the nearest turbine. The proposed extension will mean three new turbines will be just as close and will treble the noise effects," he added.
The UK Noise Association report, published last week, says: "Stress and annoyance from wind farms is made worse by the flicker effect created by the rotating blades of the turbines. This is the most likely reason why wind farm noise generates many more complaints than equivalent noise levels from other sources."
It also states that research shows that the noise can be a particular problem in rural areas because of low background noise levels.
While recommending that no wind farm should be sited within a mile of where people live, the Association also calls for Government guidelines for the siting of wind farms to be revised to take account of the "intrusive nature" of noise in rural areas. And it urges the wind power industry to "recognise that wind farms can cause real noise problems" for some people.
