Environmental Protection UK has called on the government urgently to update its advice on how local authorities gauge the effect of noise from wind turbines.

Peter Luff has long been calling for a toughening up of the current guidelines governing how close wind turbines can be built to people’s homes.  In the last session of parliament he introduced legislation on the issue.

Peter said,

“As my Ten Minute Rule Bill – the Wind Turbines (Proximity of Habitation) Bill -demonstrated there is a problem because the current regulations just don’t deal with the huge wind turbines now being proposed.

“My concerns, prompted by the proposed wind farm between Church Lench and Bishampton, were primarily about visual issues. Having these monsters virtually in your back garden just isn’t acceptable.

“But now we have new expert evidence that noise is indeed a big issue too, just as local campaigners have been saying. As it stands, the system just isn’t adequately protecting residents.”   

“I am writing to the planning minister urging him to adopt my bill as government policy and I hope to raise it in the Commons today.  Environmental Protection UK has reinforced what we all know as common sense: these huge new wind turbines, up to 125m tall, are too big to be as close to people’s homes as the existing policy allows.”

Wind turbine noise rules ‘dated’

The government urgently needs to update its guidance on how local authorities should assess the impact of noise from wind turbines.

Environmental Protection UK say turbines are now so large, the noise generated by the turning blades can affect those living nearby.

The pressure group believes that changes in technology are not being reflected in the current guidelines.

The government says it is continuing research into the impact of noise.

Radical overhaul

Experts working for the group say the government guidelines on acceptable noise levels for wind turbines were due for revision 11 years ago and there has been little sign that changes in wind turbine technology is reflected in these rules.

They add that this guidance was designed for structures of about 90ft (27m) in height, but some applications for wind farms include turbines that are at least three times higher.

The group says that current guidance assumes that background noise at ground level, such as the rustling of leaves, would help mask the noise of the blades turning.

Turbines are becoming so big, the group says, that any masking effect on the ground could be cancelled out.

Environmental Protection UK argue the rules need a radical overhaul, otherwise applications for new wind farms are in danger of being rejected.

See original article here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8379970.stm

Footnote:
Environmental Protection UK is the environmental protection charity supported by pollution control professionals. We have been working for a cleaner, quieter, healthier world since 1898.

Environmental Protection UK campaigns to minimise noise pollution – as well as reducing air pollution and emissions of greenhouse gases.

It is supported by the UK government, Environment Agency and Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Nick Watson
Producer
Politics Show West Midlands

Could the region become like Royd Moor wind farm before long?

When the wind blows, the West Midlands generates precisely no electricity for the national grid because there is not a single wind farm in the region – but could that all be about to change?

If you take a look at a map of the locations of the UK wind farms, then there is a huge black hole (or a white hole actually on my map) in the middle of the country where, currently, there are no operational wind farms at all.

Part of this is due to the fact that there are better locations – on the coasts, the Welsh mountains and places like Northern Ireland and Scotland – where they simply have more better conditions for them.

Imposing turbines

But it is also partly due to opposition to on-shore wind farm projects from people who may have to live by the increasingly large and imposing turbines.

There are currently six schemes at various stages of the planning process across the region.

Two in Worcestershire, at Upper Stensham and Lenchwick, one at Stonewall Hill in Herefordshire, two in Staffordshire at Abbots Bromley and Bleakhouse, near Burtonwood and one near Market Drayton in Shropshire.

Taking soundings

The largest is a project from Scottish Power Renewables for 10 new turbines at Lenchwick, overlooking the Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire, which would generate enough power for around 10,000 homes.

The power company is keen to point out that the plans are at a very early stage and they are currently taking soundings from local residents before deciding if they will go ahead with a full planning application.

"This is not a done deal, it is still in the planning stages and could take a year just to do the study," said a company spokesman.

"We are pleased to be considering our first project in the West Midlands and we believe that the Lenchwick site has the potential to be an excellent windfarm.

"It is located in an area with good wind resources, it’s near to a grid connection and it has good access," he added.

Renewable energy

The government’s policy supports onshore wind farms

Peter Luff

The plans have been met with a mixed response and a protest group called Vale Villages Against Scottish Power (VVASP) has been set up.

Spokesperson Erica Page said that while she is not against the principle of renewable energy she thinks the plan would be "completely inappropriate" for the area and would "stand out like a sore thumb".

New generation

Mid Worcestershire MP, Peter Luff, is keeping an open mind on the issue at this early stage, but in a letter to Erica Page, he pointed out that "the government’s policy supports onshore wind farms" and that "this is unlikely to change".

Protest groups have also sprung up opposing each of the other five applications and all are dominated by worries about the impact on the landscape, problems with noise, worries about the impact on local birdlife, not to mention already tumbling local house prices.

There are also concerns that the new generation of wind turbines are much larger than those used in the first wave and can tower up to 120 metres high.

Emissions targets

Previously, they had been less than half this size – although, because they were smaller, far more of them were needed to generate the same amount of power.

So why all these schemes now?

Offshore wind is hugely important to help realise the government’s ambition to dramatically increase the amount of energy from renewable sources

Mike O’Brien

The driver is the pressing need to reduce the UK’s CO2 emissions and to hit the European target of producing 20% of energy requirements from renewables by 2020.

Largest wind farm

Energy & Climate Change Minister, Mike O’Brien, who is also MP for North Warwickshire, recently pointed out that the UK now leads the world in the amount of energy generated by off-shore wind farms – enough to power 300,000 homes.

"Offshore wind is hugely important to help realise the government’s ambition to dramatically increase the amount of energy from renewable sources. Overtaking Denmark is just the start," he said.

But what of the future for on-shore wind power, particularly in this part of the world, which until now has not got involved at all?

Our reporter Colin Pemberton has taken sceptics and supporters of the Vale of Evesham project to what is currently the UK’s largest wind farm in Powys to get their views.

Also in the programme…

We look at another European-driven growth industry which could be coming to a town near you soon.

We are talking rubbish incinerators.

There are already three schemes in the pipeline – two in Shropshire and one in South Staffordshire.

It is all part of a strategy from some local authorities to reduce the amount of rubbish that goes to landfill tips.

The location of the proposed site is completely unacceptable

Mark Pritchard

Burning rubbish has become an increasingly attractive option as councils look to do their bit to to meet the European target to cut dumping stuff in holes in the ground by 35% by 2020.

Online petition

Sita UK has put in a application for a waste to energy-to-waste plant at Redhill, near Telford in Shropshire.

Wrekin MP, Mark Pritchard (Con), has launched an online petition to oppose the plans and has lodged a formal objection with Telford & Wrekin Council.

"Irrespective of the benefits of turning waste into energy the location of the proposed site is completely unacceptable given the proximity of the site to homes and local schools in Priorslee, Muxton, and Sheriffhales.

"I will be opposing this incinerator all the way and call on the whole community to back my ‘Bin The Incinerator’ campaign," said Mr Pritchard.

Ideal location

A briefing paper from Sita UK on the project says: "The Granville site has been chosen after extensive research.

"It has been used for many years for waste management purposes and prior to that, it was a colliery which subsequently used landfill as a means of restoration."

As such, they think it is the ideal location for what they call an EfW (Energy from Waste) plant.

With plans also in the pipeline for incinerators in South Staffordshire and Shrewsbury our reporter Susana Mendonça has been finding out if these kind of schemes, like wind farms, could be mushrooming.

The Politics Show for the West Midlands, with Jon Sopel and Michael Collie this Sunday at 12:00 GMT on BBC One

Click Here for the Original Post on the BBC News Website

Visit Wales and see the spectacular landscape

But is this really what you will see when you visit Wales?

There are some dramatic changes in the Welsh landscape. To find out what is happening, click on the headings below.

There will be a welcome in the hillsides

Great Views and So Much Open Space:

What there is to see in the Welsh landscape

I especially recommend the peace and tranquility:

Experience the peace and tranquillity of the Welsh countryside

National Parks and Forestry Commission woodlands

An unspoilt environment

Birdwatching in Wales

Visit the Centre for Alternative Technology

The Welsh Assembly welcomes you

Links to us and other websites of interest

What do you think?

With Special Thanks to Visit Wales Now, www.visitwalesnow.org.uk

There’s a new link added to the links page,

Scotland has a legal document “SPP 6 – ‘Renewable Energy”  which was published in March 2007

This requires a separation distance of 2 km between turbines and the edge of villages.

A petition for similar legislation is currently on the Governments Website “Number10″

Deadline to sign up by: 29 April 2009

An extract from

“ELECTRICITY ACT 1989
TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (SCOTLAND) ACT 1997
REPORT OF PUBLIC LOCAL INQUIRY
CLYDE WINDFARM, SOUTH LANARKSHIRE
Reporter: David N Gordon BSc(Hons) MSc MRTPI
Dates of inquiry: 31 August – 13 October 2006
File Reference: IEC/3/90″

“It is suggested that at a distance of up to 2 km a windfarm is likely to be a prominent feature; at 2-5 km it is likely to be relatively prominent; at 5-15 km it is likely to be only prominent in clear visibility, and will be seen as part of the wider landscape; and that at 15- 30 km it will only be seen in very clear visibility, and will be a minor element in the landscape.”

i.e on a clear day you will be able to see the windfarm from Worcester

and

“The capacity of the landscape to accommodate windfarm development depends on 2 considerations: the degree of impact the development will have on the existing character of the landscape; and the extent to which this impact can be modified and reduced by design. The ability of the landscape to absorb development depends on careful siting, the skill of the designer, and the inherent characteristics of the landscape such as landform, ridges, hills, valleys, and vegetation.”

Stephenson Halliday | Environmental Planning Consultants and Landscape Architecture

Go to their website (click on the links to the visualisations below) to see just the kind of visual impact that these schemes can have

They are one of the leading environmental planning and design consultants within the UK.

And they have particular expertise in co-ordinating planning submissions and Environmental Statements for wind energy and grid connection projects throughout the UK.

They’ve been working within the energy sector since 1992, having been involved in planning submissions for over 80 wind farm projects in the past 15 years.

They frequently prepare proofs of evidence for planning enquiries

And their list of clients is impressive , it includes:

A7 Energy, Amec Wind, British Energy, Cumbria Wind Farms Ltd, DP Energy, East Midlands Electricity, Ecotricity, Energykontor UK, Enertrag UK, EneXco, Force 9, Green Power Limited, Infinergy, Lewis Wind Power, North Energy, Prowind, Renewable Energy Systems, Royal Haskoning , Savills, Scottish & Southern Energy, Westbury Windfarms Limited, Wind Prospect, Zilka Renewables

Here are a few of their projects check them out – the visualisations are particularly of value.

Achany Wind Farm, Griffin Wind Farm, Fairburn Wind Farm, Mynydd y Cemmaes Re-Powering, Withernwick Wind Farm, Auchtermuchty Wind Farm, Rugby to Harbury transmission line, Aire and Calder Wind Farm, The Lewis Wind Farm Proposal, Llangwyrfon Wind Farm, Clashindarroch and Aultmore Wind Farm

Links to Other Resources