Noise:
A phenomenon called ‘blade swish’ – a beating sound in time with the the blade passing frequency – is known to have a major impact on residents of properties within 2km of a wind farm with residents close to other windfarms forced to rent alternative homes to sleep in due to oppressive turbine noise. It is reported that properties affected by noise pollution become unmortgageable.
It is impossible to gauge the noise generation of the Drone Hill wind farm development as the type of turbine has not been specified (against SNH advice in their planning response to SBC 26/05/05 paragraph 8). This is beneficial for PMR as there is a huge range of turbines which work differently and produce varying levels of noise, so no fixed statements can be made at this point regarding the type of turbine. The proximity of the development to residential properties clearly suggests that they will be adversely affected by the impact of noise generated by the turbines. The design clearly contravenes policy guidance in the form of PAN 56 which suggests that ‘good acoustical design and siting of turbines is a essential to ensure that there is no significant increase in ambient noise levels…to nearby sensitive properties’.