PET(4)-05-12 p4a

P-04-329 Control of noise nuisance from wind turbines

Petition wording

We call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh Government to pass a statute controlling the noise nuisance from wind turbines during anti-social hours. We ask for the implementation of respite periods during which time turbines would be switched off.

Noise respite periods are common in public health legislation. They are called for by the World Health Organisation in their Community Noise report; and are currently implemented in the U.K. on airport operations, construction sites and factories and other evening and overnight noise nuisance.

We ask that this applies to turbines above 1.3 MW, and that respite periods be between 18.00Hrs to 06.00Hrs for turbines within 1.5 Km of individual residences; and 22.00Hrs to 06.00 Hrs for turbines within 2Km of communities. Authorities within Wales determining applications under 50MW Plate Capacity, and the Infrastructure Planning Commission determining those over 50MW should make developers aware of this Public Health restriction which may affect individual turbines.

Petition raised by: James Shepherd Foster

Petition first considered by Committee: 27 September 2011

Number of signatures: 1074

Supporting information: In addition to human health, the measure would also protect nocturnal creatures, bats, owls, etc. Jonathan Edwards MP has called for a measure such as this. Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM has called for a measure similar to this. This would not affect, or be affected by TAN 8, because TAN 8 does not deal with health implications of turbines.  Also it only requires turbine plate capacities as a value, and not the efficacy of the turbines themselves. Wales has a long history of neglect of Health and Safety issues, leading to large parts of the community having restricted lives.  During development, the hearing of the young should not be left to chance, and until substantial and medically accepted research points to a relaxation of the times and distances set out in this petition, we should err on the side of caution.