Attached is some guidance for writing a letter of objection to the turbine proposal from SPR.

There is a lot of information, you do not need to include all of it. 

They key thing is that there are only certain reasons that can be used for an objection to be valid so please read the model letter carefully.

Most important is to just put in a few comments about the topics that are of most concern to you.

It is important that you get your letter written before July 23rd and to us (or posted to Wychavon) by July 24th

Objections are valid for each and every house member over the age of 16.

So please remember to send a separate letter from each and everyone over 16. Each one counts separately. If you sign the letter jointly, it only counts as one.

Also remember to ask your family, friends and neighbours to do the same.

To ensure that letters are properly counted by Wychavon we have arranged for you to be able to drop the letters off locally and we will then take them to Wychavon and get a receipt for it.

‘Right Click’ and ‘Save As’ :  Objection Template Letter for the Planning Application

If you wish to object online, go here (Click on ‘Comment on Application’, then remember to select the ‘Object’ radio button)

http://bit.ly/ObjectToPlanningApplication

Our local letter drops are:

Driftway, Evesham Road, Church Lench (Through the door NOT the outside letter box) and

The Old Chapel, Atch Lench, WR11 4SW (in the box on the wall)

If you need your letter collected please let us know – call Rod on 07929 671019 or your village rep click here: Village Reps

Many thanks for your support.

Kind regards,

Rod Stroud and The VVASP team.

“Confidence has been lost in the ETSU model”

4th June 2010
See original post here: http://www.cieh.org/ehn/ehn3.aspx?id=31194

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has commissioned fresh research on wind farm noise. The move, which has been welcomed by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) , comes despite ministerial assurances earlier this year that there were no plans to change the existing guidance on assessing and rating wind farm noise.

The guidance has become increasing controversial. Howard Price, CIEH principal policy officer, said: ‘The guidance currently in use, ETSU-R-97, is now more than 13 years old. It was developed before the current generation of large turbines began to be built and has had to modified unofficially in practice.’

Mr Price said that, despite its limitations, the guidance is referred to in the draft national policy statement for renewable energy, released last November. As an official consultee, the CIEH warned that future decisions based on ETSU would be unsafe.

Former energy minister, Lord Hunt, wrote last October in support of the use of ETSU-R-97 and junior minister David Kidney repeated in February that it gave ‘a reasonable degree of protection to wind farm neighbours’.

However, said Mr Price, it seems officials were already drafting specifications for new research. Two research tenders, one to analyse how noise impacts of wind farms are considered in planning and another to reassess the evidence base on reported noise complaints, were issued before the general election.

Mr Price added: ‘Confidence has been lost in the ETSU model and it is good that this has now been recognised. ‘Neither the government nor the energy providers could afford to risk planning consents being overturned because they were based on inadequate guidance. Hopefully, something everyone agrees on will emerge soon.’

original article here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/greenpolitics/planning/6803823/Wind-turbine-noise-warnings-were-dismissed-by-civil-servants.html

Consultants recommended lowering night-time noise limits because the sounds made by spinning blades were enough to disrupt sleep patterns.

However, the advice, contained in a draft version of their 2006 report, was removed from the final submission which was eventually used in official guidance for local authorities ruling on planning applications from wind farm developers.

It means that hundreds of turbines at wind farms in Britain built since 2006 have been allowed to continue generating high levels of noise.

Evidence of the changed advice was uncovered after a two-year battle using the Freedom of Information Act by campaigners opposed to a wind turbine development close to their home at in mid-Devon.

One of those campaigners, Mike Hulme, said: “This proves what we have been saying all along, that the noise guidelines should be reviewed. They haven’t changed substantially since 1997, in which time the design of turbines has changed and the number of wind farms has increased.

“Turbines used to be about 50 feet and now they are closer to 400 feet.

"Residents are afraid to complain to their council because the problem is then in the public domain and it becomes impossible to sell their house."

The noise warnings were made in a draft report by Hayes McKenzie Partnership (HMP).

It was commissioned by the Department for Trade and Industry, since replaced by the Department for Energy and Climate Change, following a 2004 article in The Daily Telegraph that identified wind turbines at a Cornish wind farm as giving rise to health problems associated with low frequency noise emissions.

It said the sound caused by “aerodynamic modulation” – the rhythmic ‘whump whump’ of the blades – was enough to disturb the sleep of nearby residents, creating an "adverse" impact on their health, and recommended the night noise limited be cut from 43 decibels to 38.

However, an anonymous government official then inserted remarks querying the impact of the proposed change. “What will the impact of this be?,” the civil servant wrote. “Are we saying that this is the situation for all wind farms … I think we need a sense of the scale of this and the impact.”

The final report removed any suggestion of cutting the noise limits or adding any further penalty if turbines generated a beating noise — and recommended local authorities to stick to the 1996 guidelines.

Britain has 253 land-based wind farms generating 3.5 gigawatts, but this is expected to double or even triple by 2020 to help to meet targets for cutting CO2 emissions.

A spokesman for the DECC denied officials had put pressure on the consultants to remove the noise warnings.

He added: "Noise impacts are an aspect which is considered within the planning process before any decision is taken whether or not to grant consent to a project."

Thanks to The Daily Telegraph for this report

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

Tuesday 22nd September 2009

The huge wind turbines proposed for the site between Bishampton and the Lenches would be “just too close to people’s homes” says the local MP Peter Luff.

Mr Luff was speaking after visiting the public exhibition organised by Scottish Power Renewables at Norton and Lenchwick parish hall last night (Monday).
Peter explained,

“I believe there should be an absolute bar on building large commercial wind turbines closer than a kilometre to people’s homes. The visuals I saw last night at the exhibition, showing the appearance of the wind farm at closer range than that, confirmed my view.

“Some of the five turbines now proposed for the site would be only a little over 600 metres from houses and that won’t do. These are effectively 40-storey high structures in open countryside – they must be a reasonable distance from homes.

“I support the development of some onshore wind generating capacity in England – but these enormous turbines would be among the largest ever constructed at onshore sire in the UK. Indeed, I believe they were originally developed for offshore use and that is where they belong.

“The formal planning application is not yet submitted – it is due in November. I will be waiting for the formal position of all the local parish councils on that application before reaching a final conclusion myself. In view of the specific location I will be particularly concerned to listen to the views of Bishampton and Church Lench parish councils.

“However, I am increasingly unconvinced that the relatively small amount of electricity that would be generated by this scheme is worth the damage it would do.”

We are aware that a number of people have already been approached by Hayes McKenzie with regard to having noise monitoring equipment placed in and around their property.

If you have been contacted, please get in touch IMMEDIATELY with either your village rep, or Rod Stroud, Chairman VVASP on 01386 871086.

Full Report, click here.

Planning Permission for Two Anemometer Masts Granted

After discussions on the two planning applications lasting just over 1 1/2 hours, Wychavon Development Control Committee today approved the planning applications for 70 m high anemometer masts to be erected close to Sherriff’s Lench and Norton.

Full report, click here.

Scoping Report available from ScottishPower Renewables

ScottishPower Renewables (SPR)  has just made publicly available its Scoping Report for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that it has to carry out as part of its planning application for the Lenchwick Windfarm aka Industrial Wind Power Plant.

Full report, click here.

We are aware that a number of people have already been approached with regard to having noise monitoring equipment placed in and around their property.

This data collection survey is a normal part of the planning application and (EIA) process for a windfarm application.

We are recommending co-operation with Hayes McKenzie, and we have a series of guidelines as to just what you should ask for in return.  Collection of this noise data will help us with our cause.

You should also keep your own noise diary to record any ‘unusual’ events. There have been a number of such events already recorded and can give you appropriate help and guidance.

If you have been contacted, please get in touch IMMEDIATELY with either your village rep, or Rod Stroud, Chairman VVASP on 01386 871086.

VVASP has been in receipt of the scoping report for a short while and has submitted a response to Wychavon District Council. We were unable to publish details of it before as it was issued to us in confidence.

Despite ongoing discussion with Wychavon District Council since last October, it has only just been made publicly available by ScottishPower.  The draft scoping report was first submitted in to Wychavon in October last year and has was circulated officially to a range of statutory consultees in late February this year, shortly after which we were forwarded a copy.

It is an unusual document in that, whilst their are no specific guidelines as to what should be included in a scoping document, there are some significant omissions.

In particular turbine locations, view points, and noise measurement locations have been omitted. Whereas scoping reports for other windfarm developments have usually included this information.

Of particular note was Wychavon District Council’s Head of Planning, Gill Collin’s comments during the Development Control Committee meeting discussion on the anemometer mast applications (2nd PAril 2009) where Ms Collin stated “Without knowing where they will be we can’t assess their impact”

At the same meeting Neil Pearce, the planning officer currently handling the windfarm project at Wychavon District Council also stated “We have issued our response to the Scoping Report”

These omissions by SPR are concerning, especially when SPR re-iterated their timescale at the same meeting of submitting a planning application within a few months.

It raises an interesting question as to how the EIA can be carried out properly within the very short timescale that they are proposing, either SPR already know where the turbines are likely to be located, and aren’t prepared to release that information, or their EIA and the subsequent Environmental Statement will have to be ‘rushed’.

Furthermore, it is normal for the council, the statutory consultees, and other parties such as VVASP to have input into the selection of view point and noise measurement locations.

We will have to leave you to draw your own conclusions as to why SPR are so reluctant to release this information.

Despite that fact that the consultation period has ended, SPR officially still currently state:

Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is the process by which environmental information is collected, incorporated in design, published and taken into account in reaching a decision on a relevant planning application.

A key part of the EIA process is the collection of environmental information, (including the assessment of the likely effects of the development on the environment) and the subsequent publication of this information in the form of an Environmental Statement (ES).

The legislation requires the assessment and description of the likely significant environmental effects of the development and any mitigation measures to reduce, prevent and offset significant effects.

Scoping

A scoping exercise is currently underway and the aim will be to identify key significant issues at an early stage and allow these to be considered in the EIA process.

Such topics included in the assessment will be:
• Ecology and nature conservation
• Transport and traffic
• Archaeology and cultural heritage
• Hydrology and hydrogeology
• Landscape and visual amenity
• Noise
• Telecommunications
• Tourism and recreation
• Socio economic and land use
• Aeronautics
• Air and climate

Please see the scoping documentation below for more information on each of these topics. The consultation will include a wide range of organisations and stakeholders including Wychavon District Council (WDC), statutory bodies and parish councils.

Feedback obtained from scoping and ongoing consultation, together with information gathered during the environmental assessment, will be used to guide the most appropriate design and layout of the windfarm and its associated infrastructure.

You can download your own copy of the scoping report form here:

E4529-DOC-Lenchwick WF Scoping Consultation Document-Final-Feb 093.pdf

Shipdham windfarm fight goes on

11 March 2009

To download the Appeal Inspectors Decision; click here Decision

An energy firm has vowed to continue its seven-year battle to create a windfarm in mid Norfolk, despite having its latest appeal thrown out by a government inspector.

Ecotricity wants to build two 100m turbines on land near Wood Farm, Shipdham, and the proposals have so far resulted in a long and bitter saga which has divided local residents.

After a third public inquiry in December, Ruth MacKenzie, from the Planning Inspectorate, has dismissed Ecotricity’s appeal.

But the company has said it intended to put in a fresh planning application.

In her report, Ms MacKenzie said while there were green benefits to the wind turbines and no harmful impact on the surrounding landscape, the scheme would have a “materially adverse effect” on living conditions at nearby homes. She said there was no single thing that made the proposal unacceptable but rather an accumulation of several factors such as the turbines being too close to homes, the tranquillity of this very quiet area of countryside and issues about noise levels.

Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, said: “I think the appeal decision is an interesting and unexpected turn of events but we have read the decision carefully and we think that the inspector has laid out for us very clearly what needs to be resolved about this application in order for it to succeed so we are now back to the drawing board. We are confident we can accommodate all of the inspector’s concerns with a redesign of the layout.

“We intend to submit a fresh planning application to Breckland Council based on a new layout. The reasons for the refusal will be accommodated in the new design. We are very upbeat and very positive about this.”

He added: “All of the reasons for refusal were around debates over noise. We will create a layout where there is no debate about noise. The project has been tried and tested in every other issue for seven years and the only thing that has been found wanting is the noise so we are confident we will be successful.”

Two groups of nearby residents – Campaign Against Turbines At Shipdham and Scarning (CATSS) and Residents of Daffy Green (RODG) – had been delighted to hear about the appeal dismissal but were disappointed at Ecotricity’s plans to submit a fresh application to Breckland.

Nick Hoare, of RODG, said: “We recognise that Ecotricity are disappointed with this result but we feel sure that when they have read the decision letter carefully and reflected on the inspector’s comments, they will realise that turbine noise will be a problem however they revise the turbine layout on that site.

“There is insufficient land to achieve a decent separation between turbines and dwellings. Persisting with their aspirations for a windfarm at that site in Shipdham is an absurd waste of council time and public money. We expect they will recognise that public support for their company will leach away if they continue to harass local people with years of non-stop windfarm applications.”

Brian Kidd, chairman of CATSS, said: “We and our colleagues in RODG together will continue the fight. After seven years it is bordering on outrageous that a developer should still persist in this way.”

For the original story, click here Dereham Times

Wind Watch: Turbine noise dissected; Expert says low frequencies are produced

Go here for the original post: http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=23251

LAFARGEVILLE — At its meeting Tuesday night, the Orleans wind committee got confirmation from an expert that turbines produce low-frequency noise and could cause health problems.

The committee held a conference call with Richard R. James, principal consultant at E-Coustic Solutions, Okemos, Mich. Mr. James has more than 35 years’ experience and worked on revising the International Electrotechnical Commission’s standard for measuring turbine sound levels. He worked with George W. Kamperman, consulting engineer in acoustics at Kamperman Associates Inc., Wisconsin Dells, Wis., on creating a guide to siting wind turbines for local governments.

Mr. James said low-frequency sound and infrasound, the lowest-frequency sound, are felt, not heard.

“Typically, they are not even measured,” he said. “They are not very common in nature, but a few examples are distant thunder and tornadoes.”

In creating guidelines for siting, Mr. James reviewed noise standards and studies from around the world. Many noise regulations for wind turbines are based on measurements that weigh audible noise, or dBA.

“But there are still hundreds of complaints of low-frequency noise annoyance in those communities,” Mr. James said. “We decided we needed to include a low-frequency noise measure in the standard.”

In their siting guide, Mr. James and Mr. Kamperman said audible sound from turbines should not exceed 5 decibels above pre-construction ambient noise levels. Low-frequency noise should not exceed 5 decibels above the pre-construction measurement. Those limits, they said, should be met at nonparticipating landowners’ property lines.

“It’s a standard for communities that could be enforced with instruments that most acoustic engineers have access to,” he said.

He said walls and windows block audible noise well but do not block low-frequency sound.

Mr. James also said low-frequency noise causes health problems.

“We’ve known since the 1950s that sound outside the home can cause sleep disturbance,” he said. “We also know noise, sleep and health are related.”

He said that sleep disturbance, vibro-acoustic disease and wind turbine syndrome have been connected with low-frequency noise.

“It’s clear that the majority of sound energy from a turbine is in the low-frequency range, but none of the information from a wind developer ever describes that fact,” Mr. James said. “None of the data for the lower frequencies is collected or figured as part of their tests.”

Mr. James said communities should have their ambient-noise levels tested by qualified engineers before a wind farm is developed.

The committee next will meet at 7 p.m. March 10 at the town office, when Keith D. Pitman, president and chief executive officer of Empire State Wind Energy, will present information on wind development and Charles E. Ebbing, facilitator and retired acoustic engineer with Carrier Corp., will talk about low-frequency noise and annoyance.

By Nancy Madsen
Times Staff Writer

Watertown Daily Times

27 February 2009