A nature conservation charity has commented on the progressing plans for an onshore windfarm in the south of the island.

It comes after the board of Manx Utilities endorsed a recommendation for a proposed renewable energy development at Earystane and Scard to be progressed to the environmental impact assessment and design stage.

Manx Utilities claims the site offers the best value for consumers at the lowest environmental impact. Five turbines on the land at Earystane could produce up to 130GWh of electricity per year - enough to meet one third of the island’s annual energy demand.

The authority added that the environmental impact assessment won’t be completed until 2025 before any planning application is submitted.

But the government-funded plans have received backlash from southern MHKs and nearby residents, with the latter creating an ‘Earystane and Scard Windfarm Action Group’ earlier this year to oppose and respond to proposals.

A statement posted online on Wednesday by Manx Wildlife Trust, the leading nature conservation charity in the island, said it’s having ‘private conversations’ with government with the ‘best interests of wildlife at heart’.

The charity removed commenting on the post, which has angered some members of the action group.

It said: ‘Manx Wildlife Trust (MWT) is very aware of the conversations taking place about the proposed wind farms.

‘MWT fully support renewable energy, climate change is the biggest single threat to biodiversity globally, and MWT is delighted that the government is driving this forward in multiple ways. The journey to Net Zero is a vital one.

‘The environment and biodiversity are extremely important and must be considered in all our island developments.

‘MWT are therefore trusting and expecting the IoM Government to carry out full ecological surveys and impact assessments as part of a full planning process before anything is agreed, for any potential site.

‘MWT has already asked questions to the government, behind the scenes, regarding the proposed timelines and process for the onshore wind farm. Right now, no site has been confirmed and nothing is being built.

‘Earystane is a ‘preferred site’ but there will be around two years of ecological assessments and consultation ahead before it goes to planning.

‘We look forward to scrutinising the ecological reports and we will respond to the consultation and planning process with our views robustly, if and when we are invited to do so and if/when we believe it is necessary. We will continue to have private communications with the government with the best interests of wildlife at heart.’