The UK’s Ministry of Defence has seemingly raised objections to the planned windfarm in Manx waters.
A submission on the public consultation was submitted by a representative of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation on behalf of the MOD.
The submissions states the MOD “must object to the proposed development on the basis that the scheme would have a significant and detrimental impact on the effective operation and capability of the air traffic control radar deployed at BAE Warton Aerodrome”.
It warns that the turbines would cause “unacceptable and unmanageable interference” to the radar, potentially desensitising it and creating false aircraft returns, which poses an aviation safety risk.
Mitigations
The objection stands unless a “suitable mitigation scheme has been submitted, assessed, and accepted”.
While the MOD has no issues with the proposed interconnector cables or landfall sites, it also requires changes to aviation lighting rules.
It wants the trigger height for submitting structure location data to be more than 50 metres, as military aircraft can fly as low as 76.2 metres.
The MOD welcomed the applicant’s commitment to establish a firing range communication plan for works near the Eskmeals Range but maintains its primary radar-related objection.
The full submission and all submissions, can be found here.