A group set up to oppose the proposed Mooir Vannin offshore wind farm says it has collected close to 7,500 signatures against the scheme.

Ørsted’s plans would see 87 turbines, up to 350 metres high, constructed between six and 12 miles off the Isle of Man coastline.

The proposals are currently being reviewed by an independent examination panel, which will make a recommendation to the Council of Ministers on whether a licence should be granted for the project.

If approved, the company anticipates work could begin in the mid-2030s.

But one self-funded group, No Offshore Turbines for Isle of Man (NOT4IOM), has been campaigning against the project.

Members recently set up a stall in Strand Street, Douglas, to collect signatures opposing the scheme.

Speaking during the recent pop-up event, Garff resident and NOT4IOM spokesperson Georgina O’Sullivan said: ‘There's been a complete deficit in the information coming out to the public. We're a group of residents who are trying to fix that, so we started a petition and a Facebook page.

‘We've currently got close to 7,500 signatures on our petition to say no to this wind farm because it's a totally disproportionate development for the island.

‘There's 87 turbines, all taller than the Eiffel Tower, running down from Ramsey to Onchan, six miles off our shore.

‘There are so many reasons why surrounding our island with something like this is totally unacceptable.’

She added: ‘People are lining up to sign. It's been fantastic. It's not just a local issue, this is an island issue.’

Mrs O’Sullivan said the proposed wind farm was never intended to supply power locally and was instead designed to export electricity to the UK grid.

While developers have suggested the Isle of Man could buy electricity back via an interconnector, the group claimed this would offer little practical benefit to residents, particularly given rising electricity costs in countries heavily reliant on subsidised renewable energy systems.

NOT4IOM also raised concerns about the project's financial viability and long-term value, describing the current seabed rental arrangements as minimal and questioning whether offshore wind would remain commercially sustainable over the proposed 35-year lifespan of the development.

Mrs O’Sullivan said around 95% of the petition’s signatories are Isle of Man residents, with the remaining 5% made up of members of the Manx diaspora and expatriates living elsewhere.

She also said that the group are planning to present the petition to Tynwald soon.

An Ørsted spokesperson said: ‘We’ve been clear that the project could provide power to the island and have been voluntarily working with Manx Utilities and Isle of Man Government for some time to present viable options for bringing power from Mooir Vannin to the island. The application itself includes provision for an Isle of Man connection.

‘The project will be entirely funded by Ørsted, including all decommissioning costs.

‘Potential impacts have been extensively studied and will continue to be rigorously scrutinised through the examination process.

‘We respect the views of everyone who has engaged with the project.’