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Neighbours Warn of Din From Wind = Turbines
Source:=20 Dominion Post
Publication date: = 2005-11-16
Arrival time:=20 2005-11-18

By CHURCHOUSE, Nick

Manawatu residents say they are being `driven = stupid' by=20 the sound.

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MANAWATU residents say they are being "driven = stupid" by=20 noise from wind turbines, despite living twice as far = away as=20 those planned for Makara.

Two residents who live up to three kilometres = from Te=20 Apiti and Tararua wind farms spoke at the resource = consent=20 hearing for Meridian Energy's proposed Makara wind = farm=20 yesterday.

On the Makara Guardians group's last day of = evidence,=20 Wendy Brock described three consecutive days of = relentless=20 noise and throbbing from 18 turbines 2.5km from her = Ashhurst=20 home.

"You have this drone, you can't escape it. After = three=20 days the residents were just worn down, fed up."

Meridian's Project West Wind proposes 70 = turbines, some=20 within 1km of homes. The Makara turbines would also be = 35=20 metres taller than Te Apiti's.

Mrs Brock said Meridian's consultation for Te = Apiti did=20 not prepare residents for the noise levels.

"The turbines make noise, lots of it."

In the past month she had complained to = Palmerston North=20 District Council seven times, but did not feel she was = being=20 taken seriously.

Meridian has already paid an undisclosed sum to = move one=20 Manawatu family who could not live in their house = because of=20 noise and vibrations.

Daniel Sproull's farm lies within sight of both = wind=20 farms. He said he feared for Makara residents if = Meridian's 70=20 turbines were allowed.

"If these go ahead and your place is downwind, = you're=20 stuffed."

The turbines' sound at Te Apiti, 3km away, was = like a=20 truck rumbling past his house, though "it doesn't pass = in=20 seconds, it can rumble for hours".

The turbines were enough to "drive you = stupid".

Several nights he was woken by turbine noise, = thinking=20 the clothes dryer had been left on overnight or road = works=20 were directly outside his property, he said.

"All noise control could say was they would put = mine with=20 the other complaints."

Project West Wind would "destroy ordinary Kiwis' = lives",=20 he said.

Makara Guardians presented expert evidence that=20 criticised Meridian's noise expert Malcolm Hayes, who = had said=20 the West Wind turbines would not exceed noise = standards.

A report by Australian environmental consultant = Robert=20 Thorne said Meridian's evidence addressed only some of = the=20 noise issues that would affect residents. It was = inadequate=20 under Resource Management Act requirements.

The type of turbines proposed had special audible = characteristics not considered by Meridian, which = meant they=20 could be heard as far away as south Karori, the report = said.

Publication date: 2005-11-16