A group campaigning against the proposed Mooir Vannin offshore wind farm has created a large-scale sand artwork on Ramsey beach.

Around 15 volunteers from the NOT4IOM pressure group took part in the project, which featured the message ‘Say No Mooir Vannin: 660 estimated seabird deaths/year’ alongside images of flying razorbills.

A spokesperson for the group said the artwork was intended to draw attention to concerns about the potential impact of the proposed wind farm on seabirds.

The figure highlighted by the group comes from modelling by developer Ørsted, which Manx Wildlife Trust (MWT) referred to in a statement published during the ongoing examination of the project last month.

MWT said the environmental work carried out by Ørsted did not properly assess the impact on wildlife in the Isle of Man.

It said the developer’s modelling estimated around 660 birds could be killed each year, including 466 seabirds such as guillemots, razorbills and puffins.

If given the go-ahead, the Mooir Vannin wind farm would see 87 wind turbines placed in the Isle of Man’s territorial waters.

A spokesperson for NOT4IOM said: ‘The Isle of Man is known for its seascapes, landscapes and UNESCO whole-nation Biosphere, and every islander can relate to the beauty of our beaches and seabirds on the shoreline.

‘It therefore felt fitting to use one of the island’s beautiful sandy beaches, which are home to our unique seabird populations, to highlight that Mooir Vannin puts these invaluable seascapes and wildlife at risk.’

The group said it had been particularly concerned by comments from Manx Wildlife Trust regarding the potential ecological impact of the project.

It said the artwork had been planned over the past month, including designing the display, producing bird stencils and other materials, and selecting a suitable location based on tide times.

Volunteers carried out the artwork between 8am and noon on Thursday.

NOT4IOM said it hoped the display would encourage islanders to scrutinise the benefits being claimed for the proposed wind farm.

‘We want fellow islanders to join us in asking hard questions about Mooir Vannin and to really scrutinise its claimed benefits,’ the spokesperson said.

‘We as individuals support renewable energy, but we think Mooir Vannin offers a poor deal for the Isle of Man.

‘Islanders have to be 100% certain that this offshore windfarm is the right renewable energy project for the island and [in our view], it doesn’t look like it is.’

The claims about the potential impact on seabirds are disputed issues surrounding the proposed development and are currently being considered as part of the examination process.

Ørsted has been contacted for comment.