Central Otago family says noise from orchard turbines 'unbearable'

Katie Hill and her 3-month-old twins Chloe (left) and Zac on the boundary of her property near a noisy frost-fighting turbine. Photo / Gregor Richardson

An Alexandra family say they may be forced from their home due to the ''unbearable'' noise from frost-fighting wind turbines as close as 100m to their home.

Katie and Hunter Hill have boarded up their bedroom window with plywood and polystyrene but say the noise still sounds like ''a heap of helicopters on top of our house'' and they are considering moving temporarily or permanently to escape the noise.

They have criticised both the Central Otago District Council, for allowing the turbines to be built, and the orchard managers and owners where the turbines are located.

Council planning manager David Campbell confirmed the council's district plan allowed wind turbines to be built as close as 300m from a residential or rural settlement resource area, and 100m from a house within a rural or rural residential zone, such as the Hills' house.

He said ''frost fan'' turbine noise had not been monitored for several years, but the noise from the turbines near the Hills' house would now be measured.

Leaning Rock Cherries manager Pete Bennie declined to comment ''at this stage''.

Mrs Hill said there were no wind turbines on the neighbouring orchards when her husband Hunter Hill bought the property about 12 years ago.

The turbine 100m away from their house was built two years ago, while they were on holiday.

When they came back, they woke to hear ''what sounded like a heap of helicopters over their house''.

As well as boarding their room outside, the Hills now line the inside window with a duvet and Mr Hill wears earplugs to sleep.

Mrs Hill cannot do that, as they have 3-month-old twins.

''It was bad enough when it was just my husband and I who had to put up with it, but now it feels so much worse because our babies are also being affected. Leaning Rock will no doubt hide behind the current regulations.

''So far the council has hid behind the regulations that were set up so poorly in the first place. The problem is the regulations.''

She said the season in which the turbines were used was also extending.

''It used to be just September to November. Now it's March or April until December.''

Campbell said the council rules did not specify when the ''frost danger period'' was.

Hill said she understood a change in council regulations also meant a building consent was no longer needed to install a wind machine.

She said this was ''ludicrous'' and would make the problem even worse because ''the council will not be aware of when new machines are installed''.

Campbell said the change was in line with advice from the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

MBIE determinations manager Katie Gordon confirmed a recent determination for another council found the fan base of a frost fan was exempt from a building consent, and the machinery and tower located on the base fell outside the definition of a ''building'' in the Building Act.

Campbell said anyone wishing to make submissions about frost fan noise could do so when the council reviewed its district plan.