APPENDIX 1
PRECOGNITION BY STEVE RASHLEIGH MONTREATHMONT
PUBLIC INQUIRY
1. My name is Steve Rashleigh, my wife and
I live at White House Barn, North Drove, Bicker Fen PE20 3BQ.
Our home is on the Fens and has two and a half acres of land.
Our family run a double glazing business.
2. During the summer Wind Prospect erected thirteen
REpower 2mw wind turbines at Bicker Fen. From the beginning they
were noisy. We complained and were told it was early days and
it was only a temporary problem. When the remaining turbines were
erected and it was operating properly there would not be a problem.
3. We waited but when the development was
completed the noise problem was worse.
4. Our home is approximately 800m from the
closest turbine. It is a barn conversation and has buildings on
three sides. The noise seems to enter the courtyard and bounce
round the buildings. The noise we experience sounds just like
an old steam train.
5. The noise is almost constant as the noise
we receive comes with the prevailing wind.
6. We were told that we would not notice
the noise so much when it was windy. This is not the case, when
it is windy the noise is very much worse. It is a thumping noise
like an old steam train coming in.
7. During the day when we are moving around
and the television is on, it is bearable. At night it is not.
The thumping noise just goes on all night. Sometimes it is impossible
for us to get to sleep.
8. We have done everything we can to try
to kill the noise. We already had double glazing but, at our own
expense, we installed 6mm secondary double glazing. We now have
four layers of glass at our windows. This has reduced the noise
a little but it is still unbearable at night. Unfortunately our
bedroom windows face the turbines.
9. We have also spent £1,000 and
planted trees between us and the turbines but of course it will
be some time before we know whether they will have an effect on
the level of the noise.
10. We wrote to Wind Prospect and asked
them whether they would pay for these trees but they did not reply.
11. We have spent a considerable sum to
try and reduce the noise from the windfarm and have received no
help whatsoever from the developers/operator.
12. In contrast, when E.On built a substation
near to other properties to take the power from the turbines to
the grid they provided eight neighbouring properties with double
glazing free of charge—We know this is correct because our
company installed the double glazing.
13. Although the noise is the main problem
we have with these turbines we also suffer from shadow flicker.
14. We can suffer shadow flicker for over
an hour. It is very difficult to cope with this. We close the
curtains but you can still see the shadows flickering. We are
particularly concerned about the shadow flicker as our son is
epileptic. He is not living at home at the moment but we have
to be very careful when he visits.
15. We have complained to Trevor Gait of
Fenland Wind Farms/Wind Prospect but he has done nothing.
16. We have complained repeatedly to Boston
Borough Council. They have been reluctant to act but at last we
understand that they are now obliging Fenland Wind Farms to commission
a noise investigation. This is due to commence on 6 December
2008. We cannot understand why they are allowing the turbine developer
to undertake this survey. We believe this should have been commissioned
by the Council and undertaken by independent noise consultants.
17. At the moment life is unbearable and
we are worried that in the event we ever wished to sell our home
it would not be possible to find a buyer.
18. We are very disappointed with the lack
of concern shown by Wind Prospect/Fenland Wind Farms and hope
that between them and Boston Borough Council something will be
done to reduce the noise and shadow flicker and improve the quality
of our lives.
19. In view of the problems we have experienced,
we wish to warn people of what can happen and at the same time
object to the Montreathmont development. We were assured that
noise would not be a problem and this has not been the case. This
Company is obviously unable to ensure that noise is not a problem
with their turbines and we do not believe that they should be
allowed to erect further turbines until they have resolved the
problems at their existing operating developments.
| 
