Measures to streamline the development of offshore wind power generation in the Isle of Man’s territorial waters are in the process of being introduced.
The Marine Infrastructure Management Act 2016 (MIMA) establishes a consenting process for specific activities to take place in the Island’s marine environment, defined as being between the mean high-water mark and the 12-mile territorial sea boundary.
Modernising this legislative framework reflects a commitment within Our Island Plan under Energy Security to ‘provide certainty for the overall management in optimising the economic benefit of our seas’.
Our Seas
One of the key principles of the changes is to simplify the process for applicants — enabling a single consent to be granted through the MIMA while removing the need to seek consent under multiple pieces of current legislation.
The regulations will initially focus on the following controlled marine activities:
- Offshore renewable energy generation
- Aggregate extraction
- Laying of submarine cables and pipelines
This approach aims to promote the sustainable development and effective management of the Island’s marine resources and does not include drilling for gas, carbon capture or the exploitation of natural gas and petroleum.
New Regulations
New Section 61 regulations were approved by Tynwald in July and will enable ongoing projects to transition smoothly to the new MIMA regime without losing progress made under previous regulations.
In addition to the Section 61 regulations, the Department has made others in respect of: procedural requirements for pre-application processes; detailed application procedures; mandatory consultations; examination of applications; and the content of Marine Infrastructure Consents.
These regulations will be laid before the October sitting of Tynwald.
Further regulations will be required in respect of matters that arise after consent for a controlled marine activity has been granted.
These will continue to be prepared by the Department and laid before future sittings of Tynwald.
Overall, the measures are designed to ensure clarity and continuity for developers and stakeholders involved in marine infrastructure projects.
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