Disruption to Local Digital TV Reception & Langley Park Wind Power site

 

Here are some relevant points for anyone who feels 'fobbed off' or needs help:

• Langley Park, particularly the eastern end of the village, is a known problem reception area for the Pontop Pike signal.

 

• Derwentside planning department tell me that included in the wind farm planning permission process was a consideration as to how the development might affect existing TV reception, so I had assumed that a survey must have been carried out.

 

• Because of the above point, they tell me, they commissioned an independent survey after receiving the complaints from Langley Park residents. A copy is available from Fiona Clarke - DDC, 01207 218284.

 

• I have to say that I feel the tone of the letter and the report comes over as arrogant and of a pre-bias toward there being no liability on the part of the EDF / Wind Prospect Ltd / Wind farm partnership. The report and covering letter has some interesting comments and turn of phrases (e.g....people have jumped the gun (weren't we encouraged to go digital?) and bought Freeview set top boxes or televisions...." and concludes that "We therefore believe the Wind farm has not had a detrimental impact on the digital signal.....any additional equipment required to boost the signal in the area should not be funded by EDF Energy ..." They are attributing the deterioration to 'warm weather' (citing one resident who declared he had the same problem last year), and incorrect aerials / amplifiers etc. It may well be that some installations were and are less then excellent, but the issue should be that they worked acceptably (all be it very close to the threshold) until the signal deterioration (whatever the cause is).

 

• A point implied in one paragraph in the letter accompanying the report is that the baseline (reference point) for any signal deterioration was not to be the strength / quality / digital error rates of the signal prior to erection of the structures, but that taken after the erection and prior to the commencement of blade rotation - this means that any deterioration since the start of the project unfortunately can't be determined, no survey being carried out or measurements made. The reason inferred here is that there are cases where blade rotation has caused problems with digital reception. It will be interesting to observe what happens when the blades turn and the wind farm starts generating, particularly when the wind is from a south easterly or north westerly directions where maximum signal "cutting" should take place.

  Only residents with their aerials pointing North West towards Pontop Pike (horizontal aerial rods) and receiving the Freeview Digital service might be affected. Because of the 'line of site' issue, and the more favourable situation of the west end of Langley Park, it is likely that only the east end of the village would be affected - particularly:

• • Railway Street, George Street, Logan Street, Langley Street, eastern Front Street, Pine, Elm, Ash and Oak Street, Bridge Street, Dean Street, Park Drive, Bridgeway and Woodview.

  

 

• The Esh repeater reception (aerial pointing West - Southwest, vertical aerial rods) is not affected, this relay carrying the old 4 channel analogue service.

 

• The problem should cease anyway when the Esh repeater goes digital at the 2012 Digital Switch Over ( DSO). However, this repeater station will only carry half of the digital channels (the main 5 and some others), not the full compliment you would get from Pontop Pike. That said, It looks as if the pre-2012 DSO output power from Pontop Pike, which is at present almost 10KW, will increase to 100KW at DSO in 2012 - see http://www.aerialsandtv.com/pontoppiketx.html#PontopPikeGraph. If that is the case, these problems, I would have thought, will not exist in 2012 due to the stronger signal, unless the blades' rotation has a seriously adverse effect. There is no mention of this power increase on the report.

 

• After much research and being passed around various organizations, OFCOM confirmed that there are known cases of Wind farms causing digital services degradation, but I was told that complaints cannot be made or investigated if the applicants' imply that a wind farm installation is suspected of causing the problem - the application must be made under the banner of " interference". They can then send their qualified, genuinely independent engineer to look at your signal and advise on how to improve reception. However, they will charge you £50.00 + VAT if they are able to advise on a strategy that will result in a successful resolution to the problem. This charge is almost inevitable, because you can probably get your system improved to mitigate signal degradation - but as things stand there is nowhere to go to get compensation for this or any associated cost. 

 

• Many people have been told that Freeview have made changes to the signal early in the year and suggested that this may be the reason why they are having problems. The changes referred to were changes in digital encoding / functionality, leading to older and therefore  non compliant Freeview set top boxes no longer functioning at all. Anyone who’s box or TV falls into this category would suffer a complete cessation in service – the box would no longer work, rather than display the picture break up / unreliable reception etc. we are experiencing. I have made this clear to EDF (who seem to be fixated on this) and all other parties.

• See Oct 8th update below: It has  also been  confirmed in writing by Arqiva (who are responsible for all of the UK radio / TV transmitter sites) that no material and relevant changes to the Freeview transmission in terms of power levels etc. have taken place during the period of the wind farm construction and commissioning, and since January 2008.

  On-line complaint / investigation form:

• http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/inter/tv/terrestrial/?itemid=298436

• search Google.co.uk for 'wind power masts affecting digital reception' and see what comes out!
  Especially the BBC link a pdf file

 

• There is also a fact sheet to explain potential wind farm TV reception problems (you need Acrobat reader) http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/info/pdf/buildings_factsheet.pd and a "tool" for the industry to identify possible affected areas when a wind farm is established - http://windfarms.kw.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/rd/windfarms/windfarm.cgi.
• I submitted a query to this latter facility and received the following result via email:

  If you were to place turbines in the following locations:

  NZ19804715

  You would be likely to affect 0 homes for whom there is no alternative off-air service.

  In addition, you may affect up to 18138 homes for whom there may be an alternative off-air service.

  The transmitters likely to be affected are:

  PONTOP PIKE
  ESH
  BILSDALE CH5
  BILSDALE
  BURNHOPE CH5

  This information is provided for the guidance of Wind Farm developers. The results of this query are a rough estimate of populations that may suffer interference from wind farms built at the locations specified. The information is not intended to be a substitute for an on-site survey where the potential for disruption to television services may more accurately be assessed.

  The BBC does not accept liability for the consequence of any use of the information provided by this web site. All television reception difficulties caused by the erection of wind turbines are the responsibility of the wind farm developer.

  This email was automatically generated in response to a query at the BBC Wind farms Tool web site. Please do not reply to this address.

  If you wish to contact the BBC, please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/feedback/

  --
  The BBC accepts no responsibility for this email. This email is generated by a request on the BBC web server. If you were not expecting this email, please contact webweaver@bbc.co.uk including all headers from the email.

  This is a very broad assessment, but it does rather imply that there may be a potential problems here, and particularly relevant is the comment " The information is not intended to be a substitute for an on-site survey where the potential for disruption to television services may more accurately be assessed."

 

• Finally - I personally don't see why the consumer should stump up for surveys, aerial upgrades / amplifiers. etc. to mitigate an all be it temporary situation that was not caused by them, unless the cause can be absolutely confirmed to be 'an act of nature', e.g. tree growth etc. It may be, although I haven't had this confirmed, that planning permission may have been agreed without a pre-erection signal survey relating to Freeview reception (see Update 4/5 Sept) in the 'line of site' Langley Park area , particularly as the eastern end of the village is a well known problem reception area for the Pontop Pike signal. My view is, based on this, that if this is the case, either a party in the Wind farm partnership or Derwentside District council planners may be at fault and should recompense affected residents.

 

• One would have hoped that these issues were indeed pre-empted and potential affected residents identified - not a difficult task as it's easy to determine via local knowledge and map co-ordinations any areas likely to be affected, and then by observing the aerials from the roadside and determining, in our case, who's watching Esh and who's watching Pontop pike.

 

The final paragraph in my extract from document 61 931/PBB000014 does state that '...The quality of TV reception in each [affected] area that may be potentially affected will be tested before and after construction. The developer will then rectify any loss of TV reception associated with the wind farm.'

It has to be said it that to date, the way the complaints have been dealt with, it really does feel that residents (many elderly and may be unable to effectively 'stand up for themselves') are being 'fobbed off' and left with nowhere to go on this issue.

Update 4 Sept: Awaiting the results from EDF / DDC of any surveys that were carried out.

Update 4 Sept / 2: Derwentside Dist. Council have provided an extract from document 61 931/PBP000014 which deals with the responsibility of the wind farm developer / operator to take steps to identify potential disruption to / degradation of Telecommunications systems (inc. TV) as a result of a wind farm construction / operation, and to guarantee to ..."rectify any loss of TV reception associated with the wind farm." HOWEVER, the document states that they would only focus on "...the potential for the proposed wind farm development to interfere with analogue terrestrial TV services..". Freeview (terrestrial digital TV) was not considered.

Update 5 Sept: Confirmation that no 'signal level / quality' surveys were carried out prior to construction. It appears that what is termed 'industry standard Desktop surveys' were done, but these involved theoretical studies of possible problems. No actual on-site surveys (i.e. in poor signal areas of Langley Park) were carried out and therefore no "reference" signal strength / quality information (prior to wind farm construction) is available to compare with the current state.

Update w/c 8th Sept: Door to door surveys to be carried out to establish potential extent of problems and to gauge availability for public meeting.

Update w/c 18th Sept / 2: Door to Door survey / polls completed.

EDF are implying that they may wish to do "additional technical surveys" in the Langley Park area, prior to a public meeting. Our results from the poll/leaflet drop and responses from the posters indicated 41 complaints. This figure and map information has been passed to EDF (who requested this information) on the 17th September. I have at the same time requested from EDF some proposed public meeting dates, and suggested evenings Monday / Wednesday / or Friday.

Update 18th Sep further research has found http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=15322 covering a similar problem in Scotland...amazingly, this is on an American web site.

Update 25th Sept: During further discussions with EDF, I have confirmed that the affected residents wish to move forward with the issue on a group basis via a meeting, and not to deal with EDF as individuals (this decision was arrived at via a poll of the complainants). It has been agreed with EDF, subject to confirmation by Monday 29th september, that a date will be set to meet within the next 2 - 3 weeks. Should this go ahead, EDF have also agreed to fund an independent expert, chosen by either party, to look at whether the wind farm structures might have adversely affected Freeview signal strength and quality in an area surrounding the east end of Langley Park, around the line of site with the wind farm and Pontop Pike.

(Should they not agree to attend a meeting, I suggested that the residents would wish to arrange one urgently anyway, and are minded to involve the press and any other individuals or organisations that may assist their case.)

On a further note, I informed EDF that there is evidence that the Freeview signal has deteriorated even further (in some case excessively) when the rotors have been turning.

Update 30th Sept: There has been no response from EDF regarding them attending the proposed meeting. I will re contact them on Wednesday 1st October to ascertain their intentions in this matter and post the result in "updates".

A resident has informed me that Hillary Armstrong's office has been contacted re. the situation. Unsurprisingly, they received a reply to the effect that "...the complaint has been passed on to Freeview / the BBC.."

On a positive note, I have now had detailed discussions with OFCOM and have had clarified most of the issues relating to why we are in this situation.

1.0 Some time ago, OFCOM passed responsibility for the guidance to wind farm developers, in relation to potential TV service degradation, to the BBC. An "on-line tool" was provided (see above) to guide developers and/or their consultants.

2.0 Other than that which is provided by this on-line tool, there are at present no robust requirements by a developer at this stage, legal or otherwise, to actually complete on-site surveys or even consider potential Freeview digital signal interference / degradation (indeed, there is no legal right for anyone to receive any transmissions, so if a neighbour puts up a structure or grows a tree that blocks the signal to your aerial, you have no legal redress in the UK.) However.......

3.0 In the case of Wind Farm developments, it is actually the responsibility of the local planning authority to protect us and impose requirements regarding possible TV reception degradation as a result of the construction or operation of a Wind Farm, and they do. The crux of the matter seems to be that the planning people decide the "scale of a construction project" which in turn decides on what level of EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) is acceptable and therefore how "thorough" the pre-construction TV / Radio reception survey is to be. Also, the planners are not technical, and accept the line given to them by consultants working with the Wind farm parties, who decided to focus on only "...the potential for the proposed wind farm development to interfere with analogue terrestrial TV services.." It seems that this approach is simply accepted by the planning authorities, even though (and in fairness the planners would not be aware of this) in marginal Freeview digital areas any slight reduction in signal strength and/or quality might well render the service unusable. In other words, they are accepting what they are being told by consultants being paid by the developers, based upon very little research and possibly few precedents - and no site surveys!

4.0 Regardless of the above, the developers are bound by the planning authorities to rectify any degradation to TV reception (by implication that means analogue and digital) - the problem is, with no-one (at the planning stage) imposing a requirement to consider digital reception and complete on-site pre-construction surveys, it is rather difficult to conclusively prove that a Wind Farm site has caused any problems.

My view now is that this is a national planning level issue and needs addressing. I understand from OFCOM that the they are considering updating the BBC on-line tool (note 2010 - now completed , see http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/spectrum/fixed-terrestrial-links/wind-farms/tall_structures.pdf (annex 1.0). Certainly it needs to address the digital reception issue until 2012 and make the situation clear to would-be developers that they MUST consider this and look at poor/marginal digital service signal areas and build this into their pre-construction activity. I think planning authorities should also be made aware of this.

I am currently waiting for a response from Derwentside Dist. Council planning department as to whether they think they can impose a resolution on EDF to rectify the Freeview situation, on the basis that, within the planning application process, full consideration was not given to potential Freeview service disruption. Isn't it that a precedence needs to be set somewhere?

Update 1st October: I have submitted an article to the American Wind Power web site http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18306

I have placed the article mainly as a conduit to try and establish UK networks with people who may have had similar problems and might be able to help us and advise us. Please note that I am NOT anti-wind power (and I haven't heard from anyone who is) although this site is against the proliferation of wind power - see http://www.wind-watch.org/faq-aboutus.php. I do believe, however, that we should not race along with this technology at such a pace and without controls so that it rides roughshod over people, for whatever reason.

Update 2nd October / 2:

I have received an email from EDF summarising the past 6 - 8 weeks of activity and correspondence. They are now active in carrying out further investigations to existing known problem homes.

Also, they plan to ask the consultants who advised the local planners (within the EIA) regarding possible TV services disruption, to re-look at the situation. These are the same consultants who, by implication, advised that there would be no degradation of digital TV services, and it would appear did not realise that the east end of Langley Park is a known marginal digital TV signal area and is in the shadow of the Wind farm hill, which in turn is in line with the Digital TV services transmitter at Pontop Pike.

I have suggested to EDF that an alternative consultant should therefore be engaged and am awaiting a response.

They are suggesting that we wait (an indeterminate time) for results of these and other investigations before they agree to attend a meeting. I suggested that we would call a meeting anyway, to which they would be asked to attend along with a representative of the planning department, OFCOM and other relevant parties. We may not have the benefit of all of those invited, however, this at the very least will update residents (particularly those without internet access) who have had this issue unresolved for some five months, and gauge how the complainants wish to proceed.

The meeting is planned for Wednesday, 15th October at 7:00pm in the conference room of the Langley park WM Club, 1 - 2 Hawthorn terrace DH7 9SH. It is the only local venue able to accommodate over 50 attendees, and thanks are expressed for their kind offer to make the venue available.

Details will be posted in the Post office, the Newsagent and The WM club by Friday 3rd October.

Update 6th October: Invitations to the meeting inc. maps etc. have been sent recorded delivery to Hilary Armstrong, Derwentside Dist. Council Planning dept., EDF (Langley Wind farm project manager), Pager Power (who's Telecommunications report input to the EIA discounted any issues with Freeview Digital TV services), OFCOM head office London, OFCOM regional office Merseyside, and Wind Prospect Ltd. (who were involved in organising the visits that resulted in EDF's denial of liability, by way of representation).

Update 7th October: Derwentside Dist. Council Planning dept. have confirmed they will attend the meeting.

OFCOM contacted me today to offer an independent free of charge signal survey in the affected area of Langley Park. I would like to direct the technician to the "centre" of the affected area rather than my home address, and I'll telephone some prospective members of the community as soon as I have confirmation from OFCOM some time on or after Thursday the 9th. I have requested a 7 day "testing" schedule, which would be subject to suitable wind conditions, from EDF, to try and cover testing in both blade rotation and non rotation conditions. Hopefully, we will have the results available for the meeting.

Update 7th October / 2 : I am considering having copies of this web site printed and delivered to the community on the 13th / 14th, to ensure that people without access to this web site will have up-to-date information. If anyone can volunteer this service for me, please contact me as soon as possible - 07771 867 988 / or Email me.

Update 7th October / 3 : I am awaiting confirmation in writing from the organisation which looks after the Pontop Pike transmitters, which will hopefully confirm information I recently received, indicating that there have been no changes to the Pontop Pike transmitters which might cause any degradation to the Freeview service since January 2008. This is in line with looking at possible causes of the Freeview signal degradation other than the Wind Farm construction.

Update 8th October / 1 : Confirmation has been received that no changes have been made to the Pontop Pike transmitter (e.g. power etc.) since January 2008 that would have had a detrimental effect on Freeview services.

Update 8th October / 2 : Some very good news, I hope! The results of the EDF commissioned surveys have shown unequivocally that the action of the Wind turbine blades are causing degradation of the Freeview signal (as if we wouldn't have predicted this?). Therefore EDF have now accepted responsibility (in line with the Planning Application requirements) and are looking at resolving the problem. I believe they will, and a batch of forms are being sent to me for distribution to the affected residents on my database (again, I'm looking for assistance with this - If anyone can volunteer to help me, please contact me as soon as possible - 07771 867 988 / or Email me).

PLEASE FILL IN THE FORMS AND BRING THEM WITH YOU TO THE MEETING, as they can be handed to EDF, who have agreed to attend.

EDF will then arrange a free-of-charge visit to look at your Freeview reception situation and advise on a resolution, which they will have to fund - if the turbine rotation is deemed to be causing your current Freeview signal problems. This funding could take the form, for example, of improvements to your aerial system or a Freesat installation (non subscription satellite system operated by the BBC and ITV) which provides Digital TV services (actually, some channels are in the new High Definition format for those with new HD TVs - see http://www.freesat.co.uk/index.php?page=Home ) via a dish / set top box and into your TV via a SCART plug.

I stated "Some very good news, I hope!" because this is only a victory if ALL of the complainants' CURRENT Freeview problems can be attributable to the rotating turbine blades when their survey is carried out. I believe this is likely to be the situation, however, we must consider that we might need to press ahead with our case to EDF and Derwentside Dist. Council planners regarding our original complaint (the degradation to Freeview pre-turbine generation / blade rotation due to the construction of the Wind Farm itself) to ensure that no-one "slips through the net" of receiving funding to sort out their problems.

This is a point that will be raised at the meeting, and I believe that we must push for a commitment and not potentially abandon some members of the community.

Update 9th October: I have received a request from the planning department stating that, whereas they would be happy to meet with the residents at "an appropriate time", they request that the meeting be postponed until further reports are available for discussion and other invitees are in attendance.

I suggested that would not be acceptable at this stage in the proceedings, and asked them to re-consider their position. I am awaiting a response.

Update 9th October / 2: I have requested the OFCOM survey ( for a property in Wood View) and we are waiting for them to contact us to arrange a suitable date & time.

Update 15th October / 1: After asking that the meeting be postponed (see above) the planning department of DDC then, via email, agreed to attend.

I have just received a further email stating that they are now sending, to "represent the planning division", the Director of Environmental Services. Very disappointing.

Update 15th October / 2: Regarding the agreed OFCOM survey, I have now been informed that "..because the suspected cause of interference is an obstruction...", they are not able to carry out a survey. Again, very disappointing, and one does sometimes feel that there is no help out there and one is being passed from pillar to post.

Update 15th October / 3:

Main points from the public meeting of the 15th Oct 2008.

Those attending:

Peter Reynolds - Director of Environmental Services, Derwentside Dist. Council

Tony Scorer - Head of Onshore Wind Development , EDF.

Dennis Garry - Wind Development Project Manager

The following was agreed:

1.0 EDF would arrange, as soon as and as efficiently as possible, to have a technical survey carried out at each of the properties brought to their notice, and report on the most effective solution to mitigate any problems that are identified as being caused by the Wind Farm operation (the rotating blades). Due to the marginal level of Freeview signal now available in east langley park, and the fact that the Wind Farm structures are in line of site with the Pontop Pike - east Langley Park location, this mitigation is likely to take the form of Freesat (non subscription) satellite installations.

No absolute commitment was forthcoming on properties that are not being affected by the above (the rotating blades), but who's Freeview service has nevertheless deteriorated since the Wind Farm was constructed. However, they did agree to look carefully at and consider these cases, but one must consider this as inconclusive, and it could produce a situation where some residents' problems are not rectified.

2.0 Tony Scorer of EDF agreed to discuss with his colleagues the process involved in their EIA submissions nationally with regard to pre-construction activity, to avert any, albeit rare, future Freeview TV reception degradation issues.

3.0 Peter Reynolds of Derwentside District Council, agreed to bring to the attention of the planning department the 'grey' areas in the guidance provided by OFCOM, the BBC etc. to Wind Farm developers when looking at potential Freeview TV reception degradation issues, and how that might affect the planning application / approval process. I also suggested this should be considered at a national level.

Update 18th October: Residents who feel that their Freeview problems are related to the Wind Farm and did not / could not fill out a form at the meeting can now register by telephone; contact is EDF (Margaret Hanson) on 0191 512 5837 (office hours).

Update 3rd November / 1: I'm pleased to report that EDF have indicated that they do not now consider it appropriate to survey every property to ascertain the impact of the Wind Farm development on Freeview (which would explain why only a handful of surveys have been completed). Instead, they are about to embark on a program of FreeSat installations for all complainants. This will start, I understand, w/c 3rd November, and residents will be telephoned by the istallation team to arrange a convenient time / date to complete the installation. PLEASE BEAR WITH EDF regarding this program, as there are many installations to complete. EDF have indicated that they expect to finish, worst case, by 12th December.

I am hoping they can provide a "schedule" so that we can see what progress they expect to make.

Update 3rd November / 2: Two items of interest that, although won't impact on the situation here, may nevertheless make some contribution to preventing similar situations occurring elsewhere.

1.0 I have received a letter from Hilary Armstrong, stating that the case details have been passed to the Department for Communities and Local Government, who publish planning policy guidance documents.

2.0 My technical contact at OFCOM has contacted me and confirmed their intention to update the advice given by them and the BBC regarding the potential impact new building developments (including wind Farms) might have on TV reception. Crucially, they will take into account both terrestrial digital and analogue reception disruption. This should filter through to the consultants who have chosen to ignore the former to- date.

Update 5th November / 1: I spoke with EDF today and they tell me they are busy preparing the work schedule, which I will post on this web site and on the Langley Park WM club notice board as soon as I receive it.

Update 5th November / 2: After the American elections news feast, the press must be anticipating a "slow news day". The Evening Chronicle contacted me proposing to run the Langley Park Wind Farm / Freeview story on Thursday 6th. The Chronicle had been contacted twice, latterly by me in early October to chase up their initial interest when it looked as if we weren't going to achieve the results we wanted from EDF regarding a meeting. I have today referred them to this site for up-to-date information and asked them to ensure that they are aware that a resolution has been agreed with EDF. I met with their photographer to appear in some photographs to be taken of Langley Park and the Wind Power site.

Update 10th November: Freesat installations have now started in Park Close. I understand that at least 10 have been completed today. I am still awaiting the schedule from EDF.

Update 18th November: The Freesat installation teams are "blitzing" the area street by street (which negates the need for a schedule) and with the exception of a few logistical and multi-TV installation issues (which EDF are dealing with), everyone seems happy with EDF's Freesat solution.

(Thanks to Audrey for the kind "Thank you" card she sent to me in appreciation of the effort that's gone into the "campaign", and her resultant new Freesat system!)

Update 19th November: The Freesat installation teams are being hampered by gusty winds in certain streets - this will cause some delays in the short term. The shortage of Freesat boxes has been dealt with and installations are now continueing.

JUST A REMINDER regarding EDF's obligations;

• They are only providing standard Freesat boxes, not HD. This is perfectly valid seeing as HD is not available via Freeview (Freeview HD, which will start broadcasting from the end of 2009 in the Granada ITV region, will only be available in all regions at DSO [ Digital Switch-Over] in 2012).

HD Freesat boxes currently cost around twice that of the standard box.

• They are only providing Freesat services to TVs in the household that were using the Freeview service. For example, if TV 1, 2 and 3 were using Freeview Digital services (in different rooms via separate boxes or Digital Freeview TVs or a distribution system) and TV 4 was non-Freeview Digital, perhaps using a separate set-top or external aerial pointing at the analogue Esh repeater, then TV 4 will not qualify for a Freesat installation.

I feel that these "rules" reflect a fair policy. EDF do not have to provide a 'gain' for the complainants, however, one sometimes feels that some sort of contribution via a punitive ruling (or more likely of a goodwill ex-gratia nature) over and above what is legally required would have sweetened the bitterness of the last six months! But, as they say in France, c'est la vie.