Landmark court decision on noise to have implications for windfarms

The cases are the first private nuisance claim from wind turbine noise to run in either Ireland or the UK, the judge said

The judge said that there are frequent and sustained periods of noise from the windfarm "widely acknowledged to be associated with high levels of annoyance" and have "a characteristic known to lead to adverse reaction in the community". File picture

A High Court judge has found that levels of noise generated at certain times of the day by a windfarm constitutes a nuisance to the occupants of neighbouring properties.

In a landmark decision, which is understood to have implications for the operation of electricity generating wind turbines, Ms Justice Emily Egan held that noise levels from the two-turbine Ballyduff Windfarm at Kilcomb, near Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, amounted to an “unreasonable interference”.