Manx National Heritage has voiced significant concerns over plans to install an illuminated sculpture near Tynwald Hill.
The heritage organisation has cited potential impacts on the area’s archaeological and cultural heritage.
In a letter to the Planning Committee, Andrew Johnson said: “The landscape around Tynwald Hill is steeped in ritual and religious activity stretching back more than three thousand years.”
He highlighted the presence of Bronze Age burial mounds, Viking Age burials, and medieval cemeteries, warning that ground disturbance for the sculpture’s foundation and electrical supply could have “a substantive archaeological impact.”
Investigations
MNH emphasised the need for pre-application investigations, including geophysical surveys and test excavations, to mitigate risks.
Mr Johnson noted: “A requirement for a written scheme of investigation on its own as a condition of approval is unlikely to offer adequate protection for unsuspected archaeological remains.”
The proposed sculpture’s height and proximity to Tynwald Hill also raised concerns.
He added: “The sculpture – together with its plinth – is almost as tall as the Hill and will therefore affect, perhaps even diminish, the dominance that the Hill currently enjoys.”
MNH also questioned the historical basis for the sculpture’s design, linking it to Godred Croyan and the Milky Way. Johnson cited 19th-century sources as “imprecise tradition” and “clear signs of myth-building”.
He added: “None of these ‘facts’ become any truer or more accurate through repetition.”
The organisation urged the Planning Committee to delay a decision pending further assessments.
“We suggest that the application be held in abeyance pending the completion of appropriate pre-application investigation,” Mr Johnson concluded.
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