Neighbour Impact Assessment

As a part of an environmental impact assessment it is important to analyse the potential impact for each individual neighbour of the planned wind turbine park.

Often, approval of a wind park can be delayed due to local opposition, which is caused by lack of information supplied to the neighbours of the coming project. This can easily lead to unfounded or exaggerated fear of the impact the wind park will have. A neighbour impact assessment is normally divided into the following stages:

1. Data collection:
The following data must be collected

- Maps of the area, containing height contours. - If available digital height contours. - Layout of wind farm and heights on the various elements in the landscape (e.g. forests, buildings, wind breaks). -  Location/names of the neighbours. - Photos from each neighbour toward the wind park and/or from wind park towards neighbour (close to house). -  If a very detailed study regarding flicker is required, size and position of the windows facing the wind park.

2. Site inspection:
If a detailed assessment is required, a site inspection might be necessary depending on the information received.
During the inspection, the location of the wind farm and neighbours will be checked as well as the height of elements in the landscape between each neighbour and the proposed wind farm. Additionally photos at each neighbour are taken from/towards wind farm. Alternative to EMD site inspection, a local or project developer can perform the data collection based on our instructions. 

3: Calculation of the individual neighbour impact:
On basis of the information gathered, the WindPRO program is used to calculate the environmental impact of the wind farm. For the noise calculation several types of calculation models can be applied depending on the country/local demands.

Upon completion of the neighbour impact assessment calculations, the results will be presented in a calculation report, which includes the following details for each individual neighbour, collected in a single print sheet:

1. Noise impact caused by the wind park given a certain calculation standard.
2. Number of shadow/flickering hours during a year and on “the worst day”.
3. A count of the number of visible wind turbines from the house.
4. A photomontage showing the wind park seen from the house. 

The results of the calculation are listed and held up against the legislation and demands protecting the neighbour if such exists and a simple explanation of the various nuisances the neighbour suffers are given.

The neighbour can thus with this single sheet get an overview of the project and the impact he/she will suffer. This is an ideal way of informing the neighbours of a project exactly how they individually get affected.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information or a quotation for a specific study.

 

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EMD International A/S  Niels Jernesvej 10  9220 Aalborg Ø Denmark  
Tel.: +45 9635 4444  Fax: +45 9635 4446  E-mail: emd@emd.dk