Hello,

I applied for a Gaia last year but got turned down at planning after fierce opposition from neighbours because of the height of a Gaia and because I wanted to situate it in a area of high landscape value.
I still cant put the idea of a wind turbine behind me just yet as our land has an AWS of 6.5m/s at 10m and I think thats too good a free asset not to make use of.
I still think the Gaia is the best turbine but I'm wondering what are people's opinions on smaller turbines on smaller masts? Evoco do a 10kW on a 10m mast, Evance do the 9000 on a 10m mast, what other turbines are available on smaller masts?
Also the Gaia I applied for was in the middle of a field with virtually 360o obstruction free, hence why it stuck out in a high landscape area. If I was to site the turbine closer to buildings with say 180o obstruction free from the prevailing wind how great an effect would this have on its output, and how close to buildings can you realistically site one?
Any advice much appreciated. Thanks

Our wind speed here is pretty much the same as yours and as we are close to an AONB we were looking for a smaller turbine to be less intrusive hence we applied for an Evoco but due to proximity of neighbours (180 meters) were advised by planning that it would object to the application due to a possible noise problem. we reapplied with an Aircon 10 and got permission, all we need now is for the turbine to be MCS approved and off we go! (I know thats the hard bit) we will be using an 18 meter pole but I think they make the poles to order so maybe could make a smaller one? Another thought would be a lattice mast which some planners seem to like and some hate so could be worth talking to your planning officer, I found ours quite helpful with what would be a non starter and what was possible planning wise. Although the guys on this forum will know a lot more than me about how worthwhile a turbine on a 10 meter pole would be. I will let you know how we get on with ours once it is up and running (as they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating!)

Billy - J,
Sorry to hear about your planning. Having been through a very unhelpful planning dept. and now having had a Gaia for 6 months I can give a few pointers?

Gaia do a 15m lattice tower, I can't say it would make much difference visually as you would not be able to perceive a 3m height difference from the ground but it may go some way to placate the planners.

I think it is absolutely essential to get support from your neighbours otherwise planning will always be problematic - either visual, noise, whatever. Bit late for you now but we took the neighbours copies of photographs of Gaias in various locations (that we had visited) to show them the scale before submitting planning. All ours were in support and even wrote supporting letters. You could always show them plans of the reduced tower height!

If your neighbours are nearer than 300m then you need to think very seriously about noise and shadow flicker (whatever your report says). I have seen shadow flicker at least 300m from our turbine which if that was in some ones house would piss them off - may only take 5 minutes to cross their house but ......

Our house is 120m from the turbine and although the noise doesn't bother us, as it is not audible in the house, it is clearly audible as a tonal whine in the garden. You could be well within the planning noise level but still cause a Statutory Nuisance and have to take it down.

A tower height of 15m has been widely accepted by planning authorities in AONB, National Parks and Areas of Special Landscape Value. Give examples in your application - Find all the mobile phone masts and transmitters in your area and use them as examples as well. Lattice towers of 24m were allowed in North York Moors National Park for two Bergy 10kW turbines as they were considered as less intrusive than shorter monopoles!

Our planners did everything to try to dissuade us from submitting an application but they had to give reasons for their views. These can always be countered with examples and a reasoned argument which also tallies with their planning policy documents!

As long as your neighbours are over 300m away I'd go for a 18m lattice then a planning appeal. Neighbours nearer than 250m then go for PV.