Perth councillors drew public applause tonight when they denied permission for a new city building to site wind-turbine power generators on its roof. The three bright-red vertical turbines would have reached 9m above the roof of a five-storey building under construction on the southern side of Adelaide Tce, with frontages to Terrrace Rd and Victoria Ave. Neighbours in surrounding high-rise apartments had complained that the Dutch-designed turbines would create a visual eyesore and unnecessary noise, affecting the values of their properties.

Wendy Brock says the family have been suffering from both loud noise and low-frequency sound that comes up through the floor of their house, causing weeks on end of sleepless nights. Wellington consultant engineer John Third said wind turbines created a broad and complex spectrum of noise. The problem was beyond the expertise of acoustic engineers, and the health effects were a matter for audiologists, not engineers, he said.

An Ashhurst family have been asked to record noise from wind turbines they say are making life a misery. The Brock family, who have complained about loud noise and low-frequency sound from Meridian Energy's Te Apiti wind farm since 2004, say Meridian has now sent them a recorder and microphone to use on days the turbines are especially noisy. Wendy Brock said the recorder would catch the roar of the turbines during strong easterlies, but would not register the low-frequency sound that sometimes wrecked her family's sleep for weeks on end.

A noise expert could be called in to assess effects from the Project Hayes Wind Farm, as long as the Central Otago District Council does not have to pay for it. The issue was discussed at yesterday's Central Otago District Council meeting after the commissioner for the wind farm hearings, Judge Jon Jackson, asked if the council would consider having an independent noise expert to assess an appeal application. Planning and environment committee chairman John Lane said the council had a responsibility to provide the expert. "If we sit back and do nothing, there will be another barrage of letters to the paper."

Nevil Hegley, of Hegley Acoustics, was called to give further evidence in rebuttal of submissions made by project opponent Sean Cox and spent much of his 90-minute address discrediting Mr Cox's statements. He concluded there was no valid noise-related reason to decline the application. "You will never hear the turbines under any conditions in Raglan," he said under questioning from the commissioners. However, his assurance didn't impress opposing submitters.

After a suggestion by Environment Court Judge Jon Jackson in Alexandra yesterday, the Central Otago District Council will call expert witnesses to explain the effect noise may have on residents living near the proposed Project Hayes wind farm. He did so after learning from the CODC's counsel that no expert witnesses would be called to give evidence on other than landscape and visual effects, and planning. Judge Jackson and three commissioners will hear appeals on the council hearings panel's decision to recommend the wind farm, subject to conditions. At a conference of the participants and representatives yesterday, he heard there will be between 78 and 81 witnesses, and the case will begin on May 19. Parts may be heard in Cromwell or Queenstown.

South Gippsland Shire is demanding that landowners wanting to subdivide tell likely buyers of the "detrimental" effect of the Bald Hills Wind Farm. Some landowners believe the requirement opens the door for them to seek compensation for lowered land values. ...Councilor David Lewis said the ruling was designed to avoid legal battles. "People buying into this area can't say they didn't know," Cr Lewis said. "The intention is to protect ratepayers from legal confrontations with large companies over noise issues." Cr Lewis has since spoken to residents who "raised good issues" and conceded the condition may have created more headaches than it solved. A valuer told Mr. Fairbrother in 2004 that the wind farm devalued his property by more than $350,000.

Opponents of a controversial wind farm planned near Wellington are going back to court, claiming new evidence could limit the hours the project is allowed to run. Makara Guardians have asked both the High Court and the Environment Court to consider hearing submissions about the noise expected to come from Meridian Energy's West Wind project near Makara. ... Makara Guardians lawyer Graham Taylor said the group was not appealing against the project in full, but wanted to bring new evidence before the court about conditions relating to wind noise.

A recent report published by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has said large wind farms such as proposed here are not the way forward for New Zealand, the significant adverse impacts are avoidable by harnessing wind power using smaller clusters of small turbines servicing remote towns, and this will be better for the country. Unfortunately this report was published just after our hearing was completed.

THE security of Victoria's electricity supply is under a cloud after the emergence of threats to the operation of some of the state's key generators. In an unprecedented development, power companies have been forced to buy emergency supplies of water on the internet after the drought left them short of what they need to run major generators in the Latrobe Valley................A recent investigation by Wyndham City Council found "the operation of the gas-fuelled turbines adversely affects theamenity of the area by way of low-frequency noise and vibration".

Wind power companies offering farmers lucrative contracts for turbine sites are driving a wedge between some country communities as neighbours are forced to "pay up or put up" with noise disruption and possible health problems. Three farmers involved with new wind farms told Rural News that power company negotiators tell farmers there will be no potential noise or health problems from turbines, in spite of contrary evidence from international researchers. One farmer says he signed up for 14 turbines, to earn $140,000 per year for 40 years, after being told by the power company that the turbines would be "ecofriendly". Now he thinks he should have done more research.

The decision-making process has begun on the Motorimu wind farm proposal, but the hearing has not yet been declared closed. Motorimu Wind Farm Ltd has applied for consent to place 127 wind turbines in the Tararua foothills on the border of Horowhenua and Palmerston North. While the public is excluded from this part of proceedings, chairwoman Dinah Williams has given an update on their progress. "We still haven't closed the hearing. We sought further clarification from the noise experts."

almerston North City Council's noise specialist Nigel Lloyd opened his case to slash turbine numbers for the proposed Motorimu wind farm yesterday. The joint hearing by commissioners was in its second day of overtime and looks set for a couple more. There were 218 submitters on the proposal within the allowed time period, 91 of whom indicated they would like to speak on their submission. Yesterday was the opening of the council's presentation.

Wind turbines can have distressing noise effects that can degrade health and lifestyles, a resource consent hearing was told yesterday. Tararua Aokautere Guardians called a number of witnesses to support its submission against the proposed 127 turbine Motorimu Wind Farm planned for the Tararua Ranges behind Linton and Tokomaru. Sound energy expert David Bennett said there is "extensive evidence, both internationally and within New Zealand," that wind turbines can have distressing noise effects which can degrade health and lifestyles, and hence property values". If Motorimu proceeded as planned, Kahuterawa Valley would be particularly affected, while Linton-Tokomaru area residents would also be affected, particularly in easterly winds and conditions of temperature inversion. Dr Bennett and noise expert Richard Thorne both criticised the recognised noise Standard for wind farms, NZS6808. Dr Bennett said the standard's deficiencies contributed to division between developers who say they meet the standards and residents who feel noise distress. Mr Thorne said noise research showed 10 percent of exposed people were "highly annoyed" by traffic noise at 60dBA, while the same degree of annoyance occurred at 36dBA for wind turbine noise.

Some residents of Auckland, New Zealand, have been complaining about a mysterious and uninterrupted hum haunting the country's largest city. The low-frequency noise is audible only to a small number of people. But for some, it is so bothersome that they have put their homes up for sale or have started taking anti-anxiety medication.
Editor's Note: To listen to the 'Auckland Hum', visit NPR's website via the link provided below.

A Turitea man says he will be forced from his home because Mighty River Power told him noise from wind turbines in the reserve will make his house uninhabitable. Mark Nicholls has been living in his slice of paradise for 10 years. He has 20 hectares of native bush, 13ha of pasture, which he farms, and a view to die for. It is so private that he can bathe on his veranda.

Neighbours of Windflow Technology's prototype turbine on Gebbies Pass have begun complaining about its noise again.

They call it the train that never arrives. It's a low, rumbling sound that goes on and on ... and on. Sometimes, in a stiff easterly, the rumbling develops into a roar, like a stormy ocean. But worst of all is the beat. An insidious, low-frequency vibration that's more a sensation than a noise. It defeats double-glazing and ear plugs, coming up through the ground, or through the floors of houses, and manifesting itself as a ripple up the spine, a thump on the chest or a throbbing in the ears. Those who feel it say it's particularly bad at night. It wakes them up or stops them getting to sleep.

The noise generated by a pair of wind farms proposed for Titiokura Summit could rip the heart out of the Te Pohue community.

Opponents today vowed to fight the resource consent granted to Meridian Energy to build 70 super-sized wind turbines near Makara in Wellington.