Hello. Welcome to our first newsletter. We are the Independent Noise Working Group (INWG) and
we are making a lot of noise about industrial wind turbines and the impact they are having on the
people living near to them. We plan to make ourselves heard by national and local government,
policy makers and the wind industry.
Noise complaints from wind farms are primarily related to a phenomenon called Amplitude
Modulation (AM). This is not the commonly observed ‘swish’ noise experienced in relatively close
proximity to wind turbines but a sometimes relentless 'whoomp', 'thump' or 'beating' type noise
that occurs considerably further away at neighbouring households, schools and the like. It is the
irregular character rather than the loudness of the noise that tends to make AM wind farm noise
particularly intrusive.
We need your help please to keep on the pressure, to break the status quo and to end the persistent
and prolonged procrastination that’s failing to either properly or adequately address wind turbine
noise by the wind industry, their lobbyists and their acoustics advisors.
We are jointly sponsored by Chris Heaton-Harris MP (Conservative, Daventry) and
the National Alliance of Wind Action Groups (NAWAG). We were formed in August
2014 and since that time have tirelessly worked towards publishing a
comprehensive assessment of the true scientific facts behind wind turbine noise –
especially Amplitude Modulation (AM). From this assessment we have arrived at a
set of recommendations that can be applied to ensure people living near wind
turbines can be adequately protected from noise nuisance and adverse health
effects.
What are our Findings & Recommendations?
The reporting phase of our work is now available on Chris Heaton-Harris’s website at:
http://www.heatonharris.com/reports-publications. Please take a look. Our initial research has
come up with some dramatic and disturbing findings. We have made seven key recommendations to
government.
Presentation to DECC
Chris joined a group of INWG representatives when we presented our findings and
recommendations to the Minister of State at the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) in
mid-October 2015. This report was well received by the Minister.
Responding to the report, a DECC spokesperson
said the government recognises that turbine noise
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can be a concern for people living near turbines and said a review has been commissioned which
could lead to it being controlled through a new planning condition.
“DECC has recognised that amplitude modulation (AM) noise produced by wind turbines can
be a cause of concern for some residents. DECC has appointed an external consultant to
review the available evidence on AM, with a view to recommending how excessive AM might
be controlled through a planning condition. The INWG’s study will be considered alongside
other evidence that is being gathered as part of this review.”
See DECC Presentations 1 & 2 at: http://www.heatonharris.com/reports-publications.
What are Local Planning Authorities Saying?
In August 2014 Chris Heaton-Harris MP conducted a survey of Local Planning Authorities (LPAs). You
are receiving this newsletter because you, or someone from your LPA, responded to this survey.
Over 200 LPAs responded to the survey of which 54 had received
complaints about noise from industrial wind turbines. This figure
should not be interpreted as 27% of wind farms giving rise to noise
complaints; many of the LPAs which reported no complaints may well
have no operating wind farms in close proximity to housing. Of the 54
LPAs, 17 have also investigated complaints about EAM. The report,
‘Study of Noise and Amplitude Modulation Complaints Received by
Local Planning Authorities in England’, shows that not only are
incidents of Excessive Amplitude Modulation (EAM) more
frequent than the wind industry hitherto has claimed, the
progress in resolving them is inconclusive and there are
inconsistent approaches to dealing with it across the country.
LPAs in the survey call for guidance on measuring and testing for EAM as well as nationally
agreed standards that are consistently applied and provide effective mitigations for it.
For more information see Work Package 3.1 at: http://www.heatonharris.com/reportspublications.
Towards a New AM Planning Condition
In her report ‘Draft AM Planning Condition’, Sarah Large investigates the available options for the
control of AM. Whilst EAM is primarily described by a peak to trough variation there are many other
associated character features that undoubtedly contribute to the adverse impact of wind farm noise
and EAM. Four main methods for assessing or limiting EAM have been critically examined in this
work package. These methods are representative of the range of assessment / control methods
currently proposed for EAM. Each method was tested with real world data from six different sites
ranging from smaller single turbines to large wind farm developments. This work package shows that
existing methods of controlling and assessing AM can be successfully modified and implemented to
provide a prescriptive and unified assessment process for EAM.
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For more information see Work Packages 5A & 5B at: http://www.heatonharris.com/reportspublications.
What are Other Commentators Saying?
The Western Morning News: “Wind farm noise report 'parallels VW scandal', MP claims”
Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Wind-farm-noise-report-parallels-VW-scandalMP/story-28029580-detail/story.html#ixzz3rUNGEkIv
Australian Bloggers ‘Stop These Things’ commenting on the article in the Western Morning News:
“Wind Industry’s Acoustic Consultants Caught in Noise ‘Standard’ Scandal”
Read more: http://stopthesethings.com/2015/11/04/vw-mk-ii-wind-industrys-acoustic-consultantscaught-in-noise-standard-scandal/
Noise Bulletin is an independent newsletter serving the needs of noise professionals working in the
field of environmental noise, UK environmental health, nuisance, acoustics and occupational noise.
In the same week a group of INWG representatives met the Minister of State at DECC in
Westminster we also sent a group to make a presentation to the Institute of Acoustics (IoA) at their
conference in Harrogate. Journalist Jack Pease covers the conference for Noise Bulletin. On Page 10
of his November issue he makes the point that we, at the Independent Noise Working Group, are
add odds with the IoA’s AM working group. This is what we were in Harrogate to tell the IoA.
See IoA Presentation at: http://www.heatonharris.com/reports-publications
See Noise Bulletin’s coverage of the IoA conference on page 10 at and the update on the DECC
contract to review the available evidence on AM on page 4:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2p8rot36fxxyavk/Noise%20Bulletin_pp4%20and%2010_issue%2097_N
ov%202015.pdf?dl=0 Copyright acknowledged.
For details of the Noise Bulletin see: http://www.empublishing.co.uk/noise/index.htm
Document1/TCS/25 Nov 2015
What Action Can You Take?
Study our finding and recommendations at http://www.heatonharris.com/reports-publications.
Please email us with your questions or suggestions. Tell your colleagues about our work. Ask your
contacts in national government what they are doing about the issues we raise in our reports. If your
LPA has received complaints from wind farm neighbours about Amplitude Modulation, tell us how
and when you resolved these noise complaints. Let us know if your LPA has received further
complaints about wind turbine noise since the survey in August 2014. Do you support our proposals
in Work Package 5 for an AM Planning Condition?
Kind regards,
Trevor Sherman
Independent Noise Working Group (INWG)
Northamptonshire NN6 7PD
Voice mail: 020 3286 0586
Email: [email protected]
December 2015
Small print: Data Protection registration No: Z8827741. This email newsletter has been send to a selection of LPAs who
responded to Chris Heaton-Harris MP’s survey in August 2014. To opt out of future mailings reply with ‘Unsubscribe’ in the
body of the email.
Document1/TCS/25 Nov 2015