Turbine tussle blows on
A DISPUTE over noise at Bald Hills Wind Farm may return to court or end up in the hands of the Federal Government.
Residents engaged in a dispute with Bald Hills Wind Farm about nuisance noise produced by the turbines at Tarwin Lower will meet with the company in August in a bid to settle the issue.
But they have not ruled out suing the company nor taking their concerns to the Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley should the discussions not reach a solution.
“I am hopeful but not confident that the dispute will be resolved if the parties negotiate in good faith,” the residents’ lawyer Dominica Tannock said.
Bald Hills Wind Farm declined to comment.
The meeting comes after the former councillors of South Gippsland Shire Council found the wind farm was producing nuisance noise, and ordered the wind farm and the neighbours to resolve the matter.
Council was the responsible authority for determining if nuisance noise existed.
The development comes after a noise report ordered by the neighbours found their complaints were legitimate.
The latest version of the noise impact assessment report by Dr Bob Thorne found background sound levels above 40 dB(A) and increases in background sound levels at residents’ homes, all coinciding with the wind farm.
The report stated neighbours reported the turbines were disturbing their sleep and did not comply with its permit.
“The monitoring program confirms that sound levels were exceeded, and sleep disturbance, intrusive noise and nuisance conditions existed at the homes of the persons involved during this monitoring program: John Zakula, Don Fairbrother, Dorothy Fairbrother, Noel Uren, Don and Sally Jelbart, and the Kilsby residence,” the report stated.
Short URL: /?p=29522
Posted by 
