WIND TURBINE NOISE SCANDAL – Neilston Community Council

WIND TURBINE NOISE SCANDAL

For the past four years, Uplawmoor and Neilston residents in the vicinity of Neilston Community Windfarm have been complaining to East Renfrewshire Council (ERC) Planning and Environmental Health departments about excessive wind turbine noise at their properties which was patently breaching the limits set out in the Planning Consent, and also flicker and strobing effects. These complaints were either ignored or cursorily dismissed by ERC.

Neilston Community Council was approached to see if we or our local elected councillors could help, but any representations by the Community Council fell on deaf ears.

Residents even commissioned a noise expert at their own expense and kept recordings and diaries of the noise levels and times. The noise consultant supported the residents’ case, but though the evidence was handed to ERC, no action was taken.

In desperation, and at yet more personal expense, the affected residents went down the legal route and succeeded in forcing ERC to commission a noise consultant of its choice.

The report was completed in February 2017, passed to ERC and has only recently been released to residents.

RESULTS :

The cumulative noise from the adjacent turbines, including those of Neilston Community Windfarm was confirmed as exceeding the permitted level for much of the time, both day and night, by up to a massive 9dB (decibels), depending on wind speed and direction.
The consultant recommends that action should be taken to reduce the turbines’ outputs to reduce noise levels to acceptable levels.

The problem of flicker and strobing effects remain, but perhaps ERC will now be more willing to engage with the affected residents, particularly since, it is understood lawyers acting for the residents are involved.

 
It is not known whether the new owners of the Neilston Windfarm were aware of the problems.

East Renfrewshire Councils failure to investigate straight away is again costing taxpayer’s money.  It is to be hoped our newly elected representatives might want to investigate the workings of the relevant departments.