Garff Commissioners met last night with a packed agenda – it included a presentation from Ørsted about the offshore wind farm, 12 planning items and a discussion about what to with dilapidated buildings.
A group of representatives from Ørsted gave a presentation to the commissioners about their plans for an offshore windfarm and what can be expected from the development.
A key concern from the board is that it will spoil the view from Laxey Beach and Maughold Head.
Wind Farm Plans
The representatives said often you can see the turbines that are in Walney, and from Laxey beach it wouldn’t be too invasive.
They also confirmed that the government will be getting a proportion of revenue from the site and it will be funded privately – but there has been an offer made to Manx Utilities for 100 megawatts of energy through an underwater cable.
A timeline was presented to the commissioners which showed it aimed to have the whole project completed by 2032 – with the first stage of applications made early next year.
Also on the agenda were 12 planning applications for discussion – the majority of which were supported by the board.
However, one that caused the most debate was a proposal to change windows from sliding sash to PVC.
The applicants said in the documents they had been advised based on energy saving grounds, but two of the commissioners believed the PVC material was out of character with the building.
Garff Commissioners
The clerk said the windows probably won’t be seen by members of the public unless they’re visiting the house.
It was voted in favour of by five votes to two.
Another discussion had by the commissioners was about the dilapidated buildings in the parish.
The clerk said they have spoken to both Douglas Council and Ramsey Commissioners about what they are doing to combat the issue.
He said Douglas is starting to crack down and has introduced its new policy whilst Ramsey are seeking legal advice.
The commissioners agreed to wait and monitor the situation in the parish and with the other two authorities to see if they want to implement anything.
Garff Commissioners will next meet on Wednesday 4 September.
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