Letter: Silent witness to turbine noise

Correspondent • Published 18 Feb 2010 13:00 8 Comments

See also:

May I suggest that those who are worried about noise from proposed wind turbines should pay a visit to the existing big one at Green Park? (Chronicle, 'Making noise about turbines', Feb 11)

They might detect a faint swish if they stand directly underneath it; a few metres away across the road, all you can hear is traffic, aeroplanes and the waterfalls at Lime Square.

I cannot see that new turbines at Rushy Mead will be audible by anybody in Arborfield, Shinfield or Lower Earley; the M4 is a much more serious source of noise pollution.

Adam Sowan, New Road, Reading

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

The Realist
Unregistered User
Feb 19, 11:24
Report comment

Let's face it. Beyond the novelty value these things are an eyesore and contribute nothing when needed most, such as when the weather is cold with little wind due to having a high pressure area sat over the country - as has been the case for much of this winter.

So the argument here is that they should only be built in already noisy areas where they will be drowned out. Perhaps John Madejski should reconsider making the Station Hill development into a wind farm due to the town centre and train noise.

It's a such shame that many picturesque, tranquil rural landscapes around the UK have been blighted by these things, and as they really are economically non-viable due to the high level of subsidies needed, I expect to soon see them turning into rusting memorabilia of a time when the public were duped by gullible politicans into an "Act now - the End is Nigh!" charadern

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
the real-er-ist
Unregistered User
Feb 19, 12:06
Report comment

Bah, far from being eyesores I think they can actually look very graceful. I like to see them out of train windows and so on, and I think they look fantastic on the horizon when driving through the peak district.

The fact is we have to stop burning dead organic matter because it's screwing up our planet. Wind is only part of the solution - and off-shore wind, now that the technology is stepping up to the task, is probably going to be more important - but they will become more and more economically viable as the old forms of energy become more and more depleted and do more and more damage to our environment. We need to do more with other renewables too, and probably nuclear as well realistically, bu****hink wind is one of the ways to go.

If I had a backyard, I'd say they could build a turbine in it, but unfortunately all I have is a balcony...

You say they contribute nothing when they're needed the most, but the National Grid (ie the people who know) has time and again said wind power can fit in with other energy sources and that the variability of the electricity it generates is really not the major issue wind-detractors make it out to be. see for example:

www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2244492/national-grid-takes-wind-energy

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Unregistered User
Feb 20, 12:33
Report comment

I believe that Mr Sowam may have been standing too close to hear the true effect of low frequency turbine noise. As I understand it, the noise vortice is conical with the point of the cone being at the turbine and the real doppler effect is only picked up further away.

On Mr Sowan's other point, in the dead of night the M4 noise ceases, Heathrow is on curfew but wind turbines continue to emit noise polution at an unsociable time when nearby residents are trying to sleep. Another important point is that the Five proposed Rushy Mead turbines are almost twice the size of the Single Green Park turbine!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
sam
Unregistered User
Feb 20, 19:52
Report comment

Twice the size? On what measure? Although the above flyer says 130m, that's measuring the 'pylon' height and adding on the 50m rotor span. The height without the turbines is I think 80m, hence similar to Green Park, unless I'm missing something?

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Martin McGill
Unregistered User
Feb 23, 16:46
Report comment

I think people will find that having a nearby windfarm will make them more interesting, dinner parties where they might have attracted a dentist and an estate agent will suddenly boast a Doctor or two and a smattering of property developers. Their children will have more interesting and better off friend simply so that they will be able to visit and see this serene, statuesque marvels for themselves, and a windfarm guarantees the land will not be used for houses. Look. On. The. Bright. Side. I wish I had a windfarm near me.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
******
Feb 23, 16:52
Report comment

This comment has been removed by a moderator
******
Feb 23, 17:09
Report comment

This comment has been removed by a moderator
******
Feb 23, 17:10
Report comment

This comment has been removed by a moderator
Reading Chronicle
Unregistered User
Feb 24, 10:40
Report comment

Duplicate posts deleted.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
F Connolly
Unregistered User
Feb 26, 17:28
Report comment

In order to judge a true perspective one has to look at the local topography.

The Green Park Turbine is sited on low lying land whereas the proposed Rushy Mead Turbines will be much higher.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Not a Nimby
Unregistered User
Feb 27, 11:31
Report comment

As suggested by Adam Sowan, I went to look at the Green Park Turbine yesterday lunchtime and have to say that I could only hear a slight "swishing" noise over and above the heavy M4 traffic.

However, the shadow flicker from the blades in relation to the sun was absolutely horrendous and casting right across the adjacent buildings onto the side of the Madejski Stadium. If this was a residential area instead of a trading estate it would have driven householders mad!

Having looked at this flickering for approximately 10 minutes I then had to sit in the car for a while until my eyes went out of "blink" mode. If I had driven off straight away then I would have been a danger to other road users.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Opinion archives.

Follow @rdgchronicle