Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
Table 8.5 Night-time L A90,T Noise Limits (dB) Derived from the Baseline Noise Survey
According to ETSU-R-97
Property
Wind Speed at 10m Height, m/s
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Park Farm 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0
Dunmore Home Farm 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0
13 Riverside View 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0
Inch of Ferryton 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0
Craigrie 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0
Dunmore East 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0
Dunmore Town 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0
Bowhouse Gardens 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0
South Alloa 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0
12 Riverside View 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0 43.0
Trends and Projected Future Baseline
8.3.18 The baseline background noise environment is not expected to change significantly in the
absence of the proposed wind energy development.
Information Gaps
8.3.19 No significant information gaps were encountered and the survey undertaken was in line with
the ETSU-R-97 recommendations.
8.4 Topic Specific Design Evolution
Scheme Layout Response to Potentially Significant Effects
8.4.1 A preliminary wind energy development layout was developed based on a set of constraints
that included a minimum separation distance of 350m between any turbine and any residential
property. The layout of the proposed wind energy development has been iteratively
developed from this initial layout with the aim of achieving an acceptable noise impact on local
residential amenity, whilst maintaining as far as possible the generation capacity of the
development (in addition to other design considerations). Specifically, the process involved
the calculation of noise levels for the original outline scheme configuration and comparing
these against limits derived according to the ETSU-R-97 methodology. When non-compliance
was predicted, advice was provided to the design team and used by the site designers to
adjust the turbine positioning in order to reduce noise impacts.
8.5 Predicted Significant Effects of the Scheme
Predicted Construction Noise Levels
8.5.1 The level of construction noise that occurs at the surrounding properties will be highly
dependent on a number of factors such as the final site programme, equipment types used for
each process, and the operating conditions that prevail during construction. It is not practically
feasible to specify each and every element of the factors that may affect noise levels,
November 2010 Chapter 8 Page 11
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