Airing complaints

Congratulations to Aberdeenshire Council for its efforts to protect the public by issuing a noise abatement order to the operators of a wind farm (your report, 1 April). When a local authority gives planning permission, it is understandably reluctant to then undermine its own decision, often leaving affected residents to take their own action.

Thankfully, that is now reasonably simple and inexpensive if you are covered for legal expenses by your home contents house insurance.

In this case, Aberdeenshire Council’s environmental health officers were experienced enough to recognise that there is no level at which a nuisance is or is not caused, the “audibility and character” of the noise and the potential for this to give rise to unreasonable disturbance are the most important factors.

Despite the operator’s suggestion that “this seems to have come about after complaints from just one person”, it is interesting to note that this particular wind farm is one of only ten in Scotland being investigated in a Scottish Government study which will examine whether the impacts documented in the planning applications are consistent with those experienced by residents once the wind farm is operational.

It is unlikely that this wind farm would have been chosen on the strength of one complaint.

Aileen Jackson

Uplawmoor

East Renfrewshire