In addition to noise and vibration during construction (expected to be about a year), Solar Farms (Power Stations) emit noise throughout their operational life; this will cause adverse noise pollution.  Other noise includes batteries, or the fact that “inverters can overheat in extremely hot weather requiring the use of noisy fans to provide cooling” [The problem with Solar Farms, Factors that should be considered in determining applications].  Significant noise would also occur in the event of any Emergency (see Fire Objection).

Noise will also be prevalent during the maintenance process as vehicles navigate access tracks throughout the farm (Power Station!) to complete jobs (i.e. cleaning, testing, replacing faulty/damaged equipment etc).  Could it be foreseen that a series of drones would, one day, fly overhead to undertake maintenance?  This vision is a stark contrast to the endemic presence of farm machinery alternating both in nature and task throughout the seasons.

Much is talked and written about with regards to the degradation of visual amenity.  However, there is much concern that noise pollution is also a crucial factor (emitted from a variety of equipment and tasks), which would detract from the distinctiveness and ambience of the area.  Currently a variety of bird songs can be heard, overlaid by the pecking of woodpeckers, gentle coo of wood pigeons, shrills of the kingfishers, swans "crash landing" on the river, bark of the muntjacs, etc.  All these tunes are played amidst the gentle breeze through ancient tree canopies, hum of farm machinery at work and the occasional sound of traffic and aviation.  This intrinsic ambience attracts visitors and holidaymakers into our communities year after year contributing hugely to our local economies – would they still visit?