by ANNA GAULT
A WIND farm has been served with an Asbo-style notice over claims the
turbines are too noisy for nearby homeowners to bear.
Operators of the 260-foot high structures have been warned they face
prosecution unless they take action to address a thumping noise coming from
the blades’ rotation that nearby residents say is driving them to distraction.
The triple turbine development in Buchan, Aberdeenshire, by Stuartfield
Wind Power, was installed by landowner Albert Howie, who was a local
councillor at the time.
The firm has denied the turbines make a loud noise and claimed it amounted
to an “occasional whooshing”.
The masts became operational in November 2011 and, since then,
environmental officers at Aberdeenshire Council have received regular
complaints about general noise and disturbance.
Following an investigation, the local authority has issued the business
with a statutory noise abatement order, demanding measures to fix the problem.
If the firm fails to comply with the terms of the notice, it could be taken
to court and fined up to £5,000 plus a fine of £500 for every day the
offence continues.
Stuartfield Wind Power is battling the order and has raised a civil action
against Aberdeenshire Council at Peterhead Sheriff Court.
A hearing to decide the appeal has been scheduled for May.
The company is being allowed to keep the turbines in operation pending the
outcome of proceedings.
A council spokesman said yesterday: “This matter arose following complaints
from neighbours and a subsequent investigation by environmental health
officers. As the sound of the turbines was considered to be a statutory
nuisance, an abatement notice was served.”
Mr Howie’s son, John, who runs Stuartfield Wind Power, said: “This seems to
have come about after complaints from just one person. As far as we’re
concerned, we have been operating well within our planning requirements.
“We have carried out our own noise surveys and taken microphones to all
neighbouring properties. Everything has been done above board.
“You can occasionally hear the whooshing of the blades, but it’s very
seldom this happens and it’s not very noisy.”
When planning permission for a wind farm is granted by a council a criteria
is set out regarding the distance of the turbines from homes and the noise
level of the wind farm.
The council spokesman said that after receiving complaints about the noise
of the masts, environmental health officers visited the homes of neighbours.
They took testing equipment and found the noise from the turbines was above
an acceptable level and the order was issued.
Last year, trade body RenewableUK studied 521 sites and found that only 15
produced a sound that could be heard a kilometre away.
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