MOD lodges formal objection to Mooir Vannin offshore wind farm plans

Concerns centre of radar interference, firing range operations and air safety

The Ministry of Defence has formally objected to the proposed Mooir Vannin offshore wind farm, warning the development would have a "significant detrimental" impact on military and aviation operations.

In its submission, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation believes the wind farm, planned around 11km east of Maughold, would compromise the effective operation of the Primary Surveillance Radar used at BAE Warton Aerodrome.

The MOD is a statutory consultee for developments which may affect defence sites, aerodromes and low-flying training routes.

The project proposes up to 87 turbines, each reaching up to 350m above Lowest Astronomical Tide, along with as many as three offshore substation platforms, interconnector cables, and up to two offshore export cables making landfall at Port Skillion and/or Groudle Bay.

Onshore transmission infrastructure is subject to a separate planning process.

The MOD says the principle issues relate to radar performance, operation activities at the Eskmeals Firing Range, and the risk of creating a physical obstruction to air traffic.

It argues that the turbines, located around 88.7km from Warton, would be detectable on the radar system and generate interference that air traffic controllers "cannot manage safely".

According to the objection, large offshore turbines can desensitise radar, create shadowing effects and generate false aircraft returns.

The MOD warns that this can mask real aircraft, obscure tracking information and increase workload for both controllers and pilots, undermining the ability to maintain situational awareness in busy airspace.

The Environmental Impact Statement submitted by the developer acknowledges the potential for interference and lists nearby military radar sites, including RAF Spadaedam, West Freugh, RAF Valley and BAE Warton.

The MOD concludes that as currently proposed, the scheme would compromise air traffic management and operational capability at Warton, and therefore it "must object" unless suitable mitigation is identified and agreed.

Manx Radio approached the government for comment, which responded with the following statement:

"The public consultation was an important part in the process of examination of the application that has been delivered and was designed to bring out all interested parties who may wish to support the proposals or who have concerns, and for these to be formally lodged.

"The Examining Body, the panel of independent experts appointed to assess the application, will now move to the process of reviewing all the consultation responses as well as the application, which will inform their initial assessment of issues arising.

"As stated before, during this process the Government will not be able to comment on any specific aspect of the proposals whilst the examination process is live, nor comment on any particular comments raised as part of the consultation and examination."