Report says turbines exceed noise limits

Neilston Community Council has reported that for the past four years, residents in the vicinity of Neilston Community Windfarm have been complaining to East Renfrewshire Council (ERC) about excessive wind turbine noise at their properties.

They claimed it was breaching the limits set out in the planning consent, and also raised concerns over flicker and strobing effects.

The community council said the complaints had little impact, so residents commissioned a noise expert at their own expense and kept recordings and diaries of the noise levels and times.

The noise consultant supported the residents’ case, but although the evidence was handed to ERC, the community council said no action was taken.

The residents then went down the legal route and succeeded in forcing ERC to commission a noise consultant of its choice. That report has now been released to residents.

The community council says the latest report states the cumulative noise from the adjacent turbines, including those of Neilston Community Windfarm, was confirmed as exceeding the permitted level for much of the time, both day and night, by up to 9dB (decibels), depending on wind speed and direction.

It says that the consultant recommends action should be taken to reduce the turbines’ outputs to reduce noise levels to acceptable levels.

The community council said it was not clear whether the new owners of Neilston windfarm were aware of the problems, but in light of the latest report, it hoped ERC would be more willing to engage with residents to resolve issues.