For the record

Confirmed minutes from the Parish Council Wind Energy Working Group Report to planning committee on 6 March. The working group, designed to gather information, has now been wound up (having carried out this task) and residents have formed their own independent campaign group.

Stuart Markham and Chris Ratcliffe representing FCC outlined their intention to submit a planning application for wind turbines in Marston Vale to members of the Parish Council and 26 members of the public. 

Peter Gardner (CPC working party) introduced himself and put the following statement and question to Stuart Markham:

‘For the sake of clarity and because I want the question minuted, I want to first put the purpose for the question into context.

Late last year FCC facilitated the placement of sound measuring equipment in what were considered to be the most sensitive areas that may be affected by turbine noise.   The purpose of this was to record and define the background noise level at those sites.  The setting of this baseline noise level is vitally important to both FCC and the local community because once it has been agreed, then the ETSU noise standard defines exactly how much additional turbine noise will be allowed.   Ideally and for obvious reasons, FCC would want to see a high background noise level accepted, so that a higher overall noise level would be allowed, whereas the local community would want to see that the baseline level was low so that minimal noise intrusion was allowed.

In an email sent to you on the 18th February I asked if both the data from the wind mast and the noise data from the site recorders would be made available by FCC. Your reply on the same day stated that: The data associated with the noise monitoring will be made available as part of the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) that will support the planning application when it is submitted.  I thought that this was confirming what I wanted, until I realised a couple of days later, that the data associated with the noise monitoring, didn't meant the same thing as the noise data itself.

On the 25th  February I emailed you to ask you to confirm that the RAW data as logged by the background sound level recorders would be available, explaining that only the unadulterated data could have any relevance to a third party acoustician in forming an independent assessment of the background noise level at these sites.  I explained that due to the importance of setting the correct background level, it simply is not good enough for FCC to present us with a set of ‘pre-conditioned' data.

I have had no response to this request and so I am asking you today to confirm that a full set of data, as logged by the sound level equipment at the sites, is made available, with the copies of the calibration certificates for the equipment used, together with photographs of the equipment in the site positions.

At the time that the application is submitted, we would also like to receive the accumulated data taken from the wind mast sited adjacent to Holcot Wood so that we can again obtain an independent assessment of the likely wind gradient and potential for wind shear noise at that location.

Since your promotional brochure states that you wish to 'openly share and discuss' your proposals, we cannot think that you would have any objection to sharing this fundamental data.

Following this, members of the public highlighted their concerns including:  noise impact and the fact that the site is unique (being sited in a valley) so noise implications are not known; effect on the landscape; and lack of information. 

FCC stated that the assessment that is to be undertaken will cover off placing the turbines in the valley, however they agreed to make the assessment available to see, before the planning application is submitted. They also agreed to attend a parish council meeting, bringing along experts to answer specific questions on noise; the meeting to be held before the submission of the application.  It was also agreed that FCC will look into the effect the noise will have on footpaths, and the decibel level for the closest turbine.  It was stated that they base all assessments on the noisiest turbine, and overestimate the decibel level of each turbine to ensure that they are within the permitted planning consent.  There are seven applications in existence around the country, three of which have consent – a total of 20 turbines.  Conditions are placed on the consent to ensure that if the noise levels are above the agreed limit, the enforcement officer will call the company back to prove that the levels are as agreed.  If the noise is found to exceed the agreed levels, then the turbines have to be turned off.

At the end of the session, PCllr Mrs Delise Ball thanked FCC representatives, and asked that they contact the Clerk to give details of the public meeting.