Wind Turbines and Planning

DELIVERING THE SOLUTIONS YOU NEED

There is increasing pressure on applicants to show that a single wind turbine development will definitively not give rise to any loss of residential noise amenity (as per national guidelines).

Our recommendation to clients considering a wind turbine development is to ALWAYS consider the noise impact of the selected wind turbine prior to making a planning application for the installation of a wind turbine.

Noise and the LPA

The recommended standard to be used for assessing wind turbine noise is ETSU-R-97 The Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind Farms. This is now the nationally accepted guidance used by all local planning authorities (LPA) for the assessment of single wind turbine noise (typically for rural and farm based developments).

Given the high profile generally afforded to wind turbine planning applications and the recent High Court case about noise from the Deeping St Nicholas wind farm, noise from wind turbines is generally at the forefront of objectors minds when challenging a planning application for a wind turbine development.

Consequently, we are strongly advising our clients and also planning agents who are preparing applications for wind turbine developments to select an appropriate wind turbine model for the site location to ensure that the wind turbine is compliant with the ETSU-R-97 ‘35dB(A), L90, 10-minute’ rule at all wind speeds and thus avoid the need to perform long term noise and weather monitoring.

Wind Turbine Noise Should Be Part Of The Constraints Plan

Wind turbine manufacturers hold data on the noise emission characteristics of their wind turbines as per BS EN 61400 (the standard which covers the measurement of wind turbine sound power emission for large wind turbines).

Using this and the site specific data, we liaise with the local planning authority to identify and agree the nearest noise sensitive receptors and then establish the sound propagation to these receptors based on the established noise emission characteristics of the candidate wind turbine. This will use the principles and the methods in ISO 9613 Propagation of Sound Outdoors to predict the noise levels from the wind turbine under a range of wind speeds and directions at each of the identified noise sensitive properties.

Using this data and the noise propagation assessment techniques applicable to wind turbines we identify suitable wind turbine types and locations that minimise any noise impact on the nearest noise sensitive receptors and thus determine a noise constraints plan for the wind turbine. In many cases we can show that noise from a manufacturer’s wind turbine fully satisfies the ETSU-R-97 ‘35dB(A), L90, 10- minute’ rule thus ensuring that no site specific wind speed or noise data will be required to support the planning application and ultimately minimise the cost of assessing the noise impact of the selected wind turbine.

For further details about how ENS Acoustics can assist you with any noise related planning issues associated with wind turbines or renewable energy sources please contact our renewable energies acoustics team.