Surf Beach wind turbine

Surf Beach residents fear a wind turbine – currently under construction - poses a safety risk to neighbouring homes, and once operational they say it will be a permanent noise and visual blight.

However owner of the turbine Rob McKittrick said he was willing to pull the turbine down if it was too noisy.

“I will be the closest person living next to it. I’m retiring down here and so I have the same noise concerns as the neighbours,” he said.

Rob said the turbine had been built and installed to two engineers’ designs and instructions.

“Everything has been done as if I needed a council planning permit, which it doesn’t. All the safety measures are in place and have been done to engineering standards,” Rob said.

“I don’t want it to come down so I’ve sought suitably-qualified people to design it and then check the designs.

“I’ve had soil testing done and supplied that to council. I didn’t need to do that but I’ve done it as a courtesy.”

Anthony Fradkin owned a neighbouring property to the turbine but sold at the end of last year.

“We sold because of the turbine and had to put a clause into the sale of contract about it being built,” Anthony said.

While he continues to live on the island, Anthony said he wanted to speak out because the surrounding neighbourhood was “unsupported”.

“The shire has completely fobbed us off. The shire has egg on their face for allowing this to go ahead,” he said.

“They should be monitoring every element of this work. How dangerous is it, will it fall down, how noisy will it be, will it kill the birds?”

Full story in next week’s Advertiser.  Click here to subscribe online.