A petition to save Ramsey South Beach and the Marine Nature Reserve from destruction has raised close to 1,500 signatures in just over 48 hours.

The petition, entitled ’Stop the Destruction of the Ramsey Bay Marine Nature Reserve’ was launched by Facebook group ’South Beach Ramsey - Save the Bay’, after it was discovered the marina proposal was due to be re-launched in mid-August.

The Ramsey Marina proposal would see full scale dredging of Ramsey Bay, with reclaimed land used for the construction of a housing estate and marina on a public beach.

Ramsey Bay became the island’s first designated Marine Nature Reserve in 2011.

According to a 2019 DEFA survey, it is home to many important species of fish and aquatic plants, including eel grass, which thrives in the area and is 35 more times effective at carbon capture than rainforest trees.

The plans would see the beach between the historic Queen’s Pier and the Stone Pier given to private development.

The petition to prevent this development has gained widespread support, including from the Manx Labour Party Leader and candidate for Douglas East, Joney Faragher, and the Isle of Man Green Party, who stated: ’We cannot prioritise our economy and short-term perceived gain over our biosphere and natural environment.

’We need political representatives who champion our sustainable co-existence in our biosphere.’

The group Save the Bay was formed by townspeople and has more than 1,600 members and rising. Geoff Court, from Save the Bay, said: ’The reaction has been absolutely phenomenal. We hoped it would be.

’Many people have contacted me personally to talk of their anxiety, anguish and fear at the thought of losing this public space, and of the destruction of the Marine Nature Reserve.’

He emphasised the group has grown in numbers following the recent sunny spells in the island, which saw record numbers of people enjoying Ramsey Bay, including many who enjoyed a raft recently installed in the bay by the town commissioners.

He added: ’We believe this should be an election issue. We believe that if people care about our status as a Biosphere, and our free public spaces, our representatives should say at the election whether they support or oppose this proposal.’