To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the effects on humans of low frequency noise from wind turbines. (136846)

In 2004 the Department commissioned Hayes McKenzie to report on claims that infrasound or low frequency noise emitted by wind turbine generators were causing health effects.

Hayes McKenzie reported to the Department in May 2006 and the report concluded that there is no evidence of health effects arising from infrasound or low frequency noise generated by wind farms.

A copy of the report can be found at

www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sources/renewables/publications/page31267.html

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account his Department plans to take of the World Health Organisation Guidelines for Community Noise 1999 report in its guidance on wind turbine noise levels. (136847)

The Department uses the ETSU-R-97 guidance for wind turbine noise levels. There are no plans to review these limits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will assess the merits of instituting a statutory minimum distance of separation between wind turbines in excess of 1MW installed capacity and (a) residential and (b) business dwellings. (136848)

Current planning guidance expects proposals to be evaluated on the likely impacts taking into account the characteristics of particular locations. The likely impact of noise from wind turbines on local residents and those working in the vicinity is always considered in relation to the existing background noise levels. Acceptable separation distances for a turbine located within an industrial area differ from those for one located in a rural area.

The topography of the location, wind speeds and presence of natural barriers will also influence the levels of audibility in relation to nearby dwellings. For this reason, we do not intend to introduce inflexible separation distances. We continue to support the approach set out in Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 22—Renewable Energy: that it is for local planning authorities to

“ensure that renewable energy developments have been located and designed in such a way to minimise increases in ambient noise levels”,

using the 1997 report by ETSU to assess and rate noise from wind energy developments.

Overall, the minimum desirable distance between wind turbines and occupied buildings calculated on the basis of expected noise levels and visual impact will usually be greater than that necessary to meet safety requirements arising from structural failure. The Companion Guide to PPS22 states that fall over distance (i.e. the height of the turbine to the tip of the blade) plus 10 per cent. is often used as a safe separation distance.