Turbine scheme has residents in a spin

A HOUSING association is discovering it's not easy being green - after residents threatened to fight plans for new eco-friendly wind turbines at a meeting tonight (Thursday).

SPH Housing wants to install two three-metre high wind turbines, as well as 10 solar panels, on Bideford and Barnstaple Mansions in Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell.

It has already installed a wind turbine on top of the neighbouring Braunton Mansions.

The turbines help generate a small percentage of electricity.

But residents say the turbine on Braunton Mansions is noisy and causes the building to vibrate. They have pledged to fight the planning application at a meeting at the St Luke's Centre in Central Street, Finsbury.

Rene Goodman, who lives in Barnstaple Mansions, said: "The turbine opposite my flat makes a lot of noise already.

"There have been a lot of problems with wind turbines. In Scotland the noise from them was so loud that some people were forced to move out. And they generate very little electricity.

"We already have solar panels on the building - can't we just have those? They don't make any noise." Caroline Goring, who is moving back into the blocks once they have been refurbished, said: "People have had all sorts of trouble in Braunton Mansions with the noise from the wind turbines.

"They say there is noise, vibration, and that their TV reception has also been affected. The reception was perfectly OK before.

"We don't want wind turbines on the block. Old buildings are not the place for them."

A SPH spokesman said: "The first block to be completed, Braunton, has doubled energy ratings and reduced carbon emissions by a third - a whopping 15 tonnes.

"The solar thermal panels pre-heat the hot water which keeps tenants' heating bills down, while the wind turbines help light communal areas and power the heating water pumps, which keeps tenants' service charges down. The wind machines are one of the quietest on the market.