Bradford wind turbine plans rejected over noise issues
Tuesday 09 March 2010
A government planning inspector has upheld a decision by Bradford metropolitan district council to reject a planning application for "one of the largest wind turbines in the UK" to be erected at a Princes Soft Drinks factory in Bradford.
The application for the £2 million development was rejected last month on the grounds that it would cause a noise nuisance to neighbours.
Princes Soft Drinks had originally applied to erect an Enercon E70 wind turbine at its factory in Toftshaw Lane, Bradford in May 2008. The turbine would have a hub height of 85 metres and a maximum height of 120 metres to blade tip.
To support its application the company appointed acoustic consultant Maslen Environmental Ltd to assess the potential noise impact of the turbine.
Maslen's report predicted that noise levels experienced by nearby residents, both at night and during the day, would be lower than the limits imposed by ETSU-R-97, which the consultants claim is the UK government's only recognised wind turbine noise assessment criteria guide.
However, Bradford council's environmental health officer, Brian Fairclough, used World Health Organisation and British Standard guidelines and codes of practice, as well as ETSU-R-97, to come to the conclusion that the Princes Soft Drinks turbine would cause a noise nuisance for nearby residents.
Following Mr Fairclough's recommendation, Bradford council's planning service refused permission for the turbine to be built in May 2009.
Princes Soft Drinks appealed against the decision on the grounds that ETSU-R-97 was not used exclusively to assess the noise and the company's representatives argued that the other noise prediction criteria used by Mr Fairclough was not relevant.
However, planning inspector Elizabeth Ord upheld Bradford council's original decision, stating that the turbine would be overbearing and oppressive to a number of residents and the noise produced could lead to neighbours losing sleep.
A spokeswoman for Princes said the company was aware of the decision but could not comment further at this time.
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