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Dr Amanda Harry, who has = produced=20 ground-breaking research on the effects of noise from = turbines=20 on people living near the Bears Down site explains why = she is=20 taking her investigation further

Over the last = 12=20 months I have been concerned by the numbers of people = who=20 appear to be experiencing problems caused by noise = exposure=20 from wind turbines. This, according to the British = Wind Energy=20 Association, has not been an issue until brought up by = anti-wind activists in this country.

However, I = have=20 heard from people all over this country; Cornwall, = Wales and=20 Cumbria; from France, Germany, Denmark, Australia, New = Zealand=20 and the USA who are experiencing noise problems from = nearby=20 wind turbines.

So this is not an isolated = problem and=20 from the information I have been able to gather, it is = not a=20 new problem either.

Initially I felt that the = problems=20 experienced by these people were being caused simply = by the=20 low frequency noise which is produced by the turbine = blades=20 passing the towers. But now I am sure that there are a = combination of factors which makes the noise emitted = from wind=20 turbines so disturbing.

These factors include = the=20 repetitive nature of the noise being like a dripping = tap, the=20 unpredictability of the noise (we cannot tell when the = wind=20 will blow or how strongly the wind will blow), the = noise=20 levels increasing noticeably at night when nearby = neighbours=20 are trying to rest, and modulation of the sound = produced by=20 the noise interaction between turbines.

The low = frequency noise and vibration adds to the distress and = disturbance and makes susceptible people = hypersensitive to the=20 noise. Indeed prolonged exposure to low frequency = noise and=20 vibration is known to increase a person's sensitivity = to the=20 noise. Much research has been published showing the=20 correlation of health problems and disturbance from=20 noise.

Yet there has been no such research for = wind=20 turbines. An initial survey by me indicates that a = problem=20 exists and I feel this warrants further in-depth, = independent=20 research and investigation. However, the wind industry = has=20 taken it upon themselves to state that there isn't a = problem=20 without looking into the issues further.

It is = because=20 of this that I have been working with a physicist and = acoustic=20 scientist, Dr David Manley, to try to confirm our=20 observations. With the help of a small grant, which = has been=20 secured by the UK Noise Association, we hope we will = be able=20 to show how the character and intensity of the noise = and=20 vibration produced from wind turbines can cause a = noise=20 nuisance which can have a knock-on effect on the = health of=20 those experiencing the disturbance. My initial survey = shows=20 that the current noise measurement standards used to = predict=20 noise from wind turbines are wholly inadequate to = protect=20 neighbours of turbines from the turbine noise and = should be=20 re-evaluated and new standards drawn up with this in=20 = mind.

<= BR>

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Pubs=20 will be able to open even longer from February 7th, do you = agree=20 with extended drinking hours?=20

Yes

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