LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Major overhaul of wind farm planning urged 

Credit:  Belfast News Letter | 3 March 2015 | www.newsletter.co.uk ~~

A wide-ranging re-examination of the Province’s approach to wind farms has been called for by Stormont politicians.

A report from a group of MLAs said the Department of the Environment to say when enough is enough when it comes to the siting of wind farms in an area.

It found that west Tyrone had already reached “saturation point” in terms of the number of turbines spread across the landscape, and called for a clear definition of exactly what the limit should be.

It also called for a fresh look at how noise is monitored, better public engagement by developments, and how far turbines should be from homes.

At the moment, Planning Police Statement 18 simply advises only that a 500m (1,640ft) separation distance “will generally apply”.

However, when delivering the Environment Committee’s findings to the Assembly on Tuesday, chairwoman Anna Lo said that the MLAs had “agreed instead that a minimum setback distance should now be determined by the department.”

She told the Assembly that, while MLAs had considered the setting up of zones to highlight the most appropriate places for wind farms, “it was too late” for places like west Tyrone.

Ms Lo also said that the issue of noise from wind turbines had proved the most contentious aspect of their whole investigation.

She expressed concern that “there does not appear to be continuous long-term monitoring of noise from wind farms, either by developers or by the relevant public sector organisations”.

She said independent research should now be done to assess what the impact of such “low-frequency noise” is on residents within earshot.

The report – which has been about five months in the making – also makes reference to the spectacular collapse of a turbine in January on the Screggagh wind farm, between Fintona and Fivemiletown.

Jim Allister asedk Ms Lo: “Would the member agree that, if that collapse which occurred in Co Tyrone had occurred at some of the large, quasi-urban sited turbines, that the consequences could have been wholly catastrophic in terms of the loss of life?”

Ms Lo agreed, and said they would be keeping a close eye on results of a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report into the incident – with the committee urging any of its recommendation to be acted on as soon as possible.

An investigation by manufacturer Nordex said the disaster was down to a “unique fault” in the system controlled its spinning blades.

Source:  Belfast News Letter | 3 March 2015 | www.newsletter.co.uk

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon