RDE579 Systematic Review for Evidence on Health Effects and Wind Farm Noise

Objectives of this commission The Interdepartmental Group on Costs and Benefits (IGCB) is a Defra1 -led group of government analysts that provides analysis and advice relating to the quantification and valuation of local environmental impacts. It aims to do this through the development of methodology, evidence

reviews and subsequent recommendations. Further information can be found here.

The Noise subject group IGCB(N) published its most recent recommendations here in 2014. These recommendations have since been incorporated into the DfT transport analysis guidance

(WebTAG) here and the HMT Green Book here on appraisal and evaluation.

On 10th October 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Europe published its Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region here. The guidelines provide recommendations for protecting human health from exposure to environmental noise originating from various sources: transportation (road traffic, railway and aircraft) noise, wind turbine noise and leisure noise. The development of the guidelines followed a rigorous methodology; their recommendations are based on systematic reviews of evidence published separately2.

The systematic review of environmental noise and annoyance considered evidence published

between 2000 and December 2014. The systematic review of environmental noise and sleep

disturbance considered evidence published between 2000 and December 2015. It is

acknowledged that there have been several high quality studies published since those considered by the WHO systematic reviews, that may further develop the knowledge and understanding of the link between noise exposure from wind turbines and annoyance and sleep disturbance