Noise fears over wind turbine on tower block
A FUTURISTIC nine-metre high wind turbine on top of a 45-metre tower block will dominate the skyline in City Road.
The new wind turbine, on top of 18-storey Kestrel House in Pickard Street - just off City Road in Finsbury, will be visible from far down the street.
It will help generate 10 per cent of the power used by the housing block.
But residents fear the turbine will be too noisy.
Christopher Brown, who lives on the top floor of Kestrel House, said: "The lift machinery already produces noise that is transmitted through the roof into my flat.
"I cannot see how this wind turbine will not do that. It is a large structure and it's effect on noise has not been tested. There are alternatives to wind turbines which are less intrusive."
An Islington Council officer, from the Energy Saving Centre, said: "The reason it needs to be a nine-metre turbine is because it needs to be above the plant roof.
"Noise and vibration are issues we have looked into. This turbine does self-regulate if it exceeds noise limits. Vibration is more of an issue with metal-framed buildings and this is not such a building. Also, if necessary, laying dampening pads can improve the situation."
Councillor George Allan (Liberal Democrat), who chaired the meeting, said: "It is important that residents are contacted at the time the study of vibration analysis is carried out.
"It sounds to me as if some of the engineers don't know all of the answers but it's a price we pay for being slightly ahead of the field. When someone does something for the first time the science is not advanced.
"There's not a lot we can do to make Kestrel House any less attractive and it would in some sense give an identity to it."
Planning permission was approved, pending a vibration analysis and consultation with residents which will be reported back to the planning authority.
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