Princes Soft Drinks proposal for a wind turbine at its factory in Bradford was rejected last week due to impact on inhabitants of neighbouring properties.
Planning Inspector Elizabeth Ord said that wind turbine noise levels experienced by nearby residents, both at night and during the day would be lower than the limits recommended in nationally recognised guidance (ETSU R 97 “The Rating and Assessment of Noise from Wind Turbines” ). Despite this she believed that the wind turbine could still lead to sleep disturbance.
The proposed 2.3 MW Enercon E70 wind turbine was to be 121m to tip and 165 metres away from nearest properties. Ord said that a cautious approach should be taken as the wind turbine was proposed close to schools, offices and residential housing. She concluded that the wind turbine would be ‘overbearing’.
The decision goes against previous wind farm appeal decisions where inspectors have confirmed that if predicted noise levels are in compliance with the guidance formally recognised in the renewable energy national planning statement, planning applications should not be refused on noise grounds.
Local Bradford paper ‘The Telegraph and Argus’ has already picked up that the decision could help anti-wind farm campaigners.
Local Councillor Anne Hawkesworth told the paper “The Decision has far-reaching implications for turbine-builders and has prompted a national debate between them, planners and environmental health officials… The planning inspector’s decision should aid local planning authorities to balance the need for more sustainable means of energy production with the concerns of local residents”.
The decision also brings into question whether the government’s decentralised energy generation objectives are achievable if wind turbine planning decisions such as this Bradford case become commonplace.
