Environmental Protection UK urges joined-up thinking and sound guidance on wind turbine noise assessment
Environmental Protection UK welcomes guidance published today by DEFRA, which aims to help local authorities investigate complaints about noise from wind farms. his comes after the publication of DECC commissioned research last week, that highlighted the need for clear, up to date guidance on how wind turbine noise impact is assessed in development proposals, which is urgently needed to reduce uncertainty in the planning process.
Environmental Protection UK is calling for joined-up thinking between government departments and updated guidance on wind turbine noise assessment, to reduce the likelihood of delays in the deployment of wind power across the UK, while ensuring that potential impacts on wind farm neighbours are properly taken into account.
'We fully support the deployment of renewable energy but potential noise and health impacts of wind farm developments must be properly assessed during the planning process.' Said Mary Stevens, Head of Policy, Environmental Protection UK.
The noise assessment criteria for siting wind turbines is nearly 15 years old and does not account for the acoustic impacts that may occur from the plant now deployed. The ETSU-R-97 guidance currently used to assess wind turbine noise impact has lost credibility with acousticians, planners, industry and communities and the DECC research published last week, commissioned to look into the application of the ETSU-R-97 guidance, concludes that it does need updating.
Mary Stevens said, 'Using nuisance laws to abate noise from turbines, should they arise, will help wind farm neighbours where there are significant noise impacts, but it is hardly a long term solution.'
'What we need is clear, up-to-date noise assessment guidance that enables planning to take proper account of potential acoustic impacts of modern wind turbines. This will reduce the likelihood of protracted planning battles that hinge on debates around noise impact assessment.'
-
Most popular related searches
Customer comments
No comments were found for Environmental Protection UK urges joined-up thinking and sound guidance on wind turbine noise assessment. Be the first to comment!