I write in response to the most frightful news from Manx Utilities on their proposed wind turbine development in Earystane and Scard, in an area of high landscape and scenic beauty, where the planning requirements are already tenfold to ensure that buildings fit within the natural environment and protect the traditional constructions and look of the area.

It would be a mark of insanity to proceed with a plan to build these rather large human marks of interference on our natural landscape – monstrosities equivalent to the Martian tripods, if you Sir will allow me some artistic licence.

Now it is pertinent to state I am not against renewable energy, in fact quite the opposite.

I rather despise the pollution and environmental impacts produced from our traditional power plants.

But destroying the beauty of our rather unblemished natural landscape, which ironically the project aims to protect in the long term, is not the solution.

It is an area where the 2016 Strategic Plan would recommend even electricity and telecoms are put under the ground where possible.

Yet... ’yes’ the government thinks, ‘let’s put wind turbines roughly equivalent in height to the Blackpool tower on the hills, that should make a nice addition to the landscape’.

Yes, Sir, the equivalent to five Blackpool towers on the hillside.

Why not go further, and build skyscrapers in the midst of our countryside too in order to provide ‘affordable housing’ ... yes a solution beneficial to all in the same logic.

If one needs to have a wind farm, at least put it out of view in the middle of the sea (of which there were plans for), preferably in an area that does not damage our wildlife but not in the middle of an area of unspoilt beauty.

I was recently driving through Devon, observing the most magnificent rolling hills – the epitome of the English countryside – and then came across the rather gargantuan white towers, which exclaimed the ’new industrial revolution’ is upon us, and for clarity’s sake, this is not at all fortuitous.

There are other ways to prosper both aesthetically and environmentally in energy production, but not this. Being climate conscious is not by definition inflicting eyesores upon us and the natural landscape.

I should note, I am not a NIMBY (even while in this instance some may consider me such) but I am rather NIABY (not in anyone’s backyard) or INIMBYNIABY (If not in my backyard, not in anyone’s backyard) – to form some gobbledygook on that last one.

Ridiculous in the highest.

Name and address supplied

This letter was first published in the Isle of Man Examiner on July 25.

Share your views with our readers.

Write to: Opinions, Isle of Man Examiner and Manx Independent, 18 Finch Road, Douglas, IM1 2PT or email:

Don’t forget to include your name, FULL home address and a daytime phone number even if you want to be anonymous in print.