Energy firm Ørsted says it’s reducing the size of its proposed Mooir Vannin offshore wind farm in response to public feedback.

The move follows a community consultation last summer.

Ørsted says it has reduced the maximum size of the offshore array area by about 17% as a direct result of feedback.

It says this will help to reduce the visual impact in locations on the east coast by cutting away the northwest corner and southern boundary of the area.

The reduction in the size of the windfarm will also reduce the potential impact on the Steam Packet’s shipping routes at the southern boundary and on Mezeron services to the northwest.

It will also avoid Queen Scallop fishing grounds in the southwest of the site.

The maximum number of turbines will be cut from 100 to 87, and the height of each one will now be 350m rather than 389m as originally proposed.

There will now be three offshore platforms rather than five.

And the minimum blade tip height of each turbine will be increased from 30m to 34m to help to reduce risk to birds in flight.

The revised proposals will feature in a planning application due to be submitted in the spring.

John Galloway, Ørsted development director for the Isle of Man, said: ‘We’re very grateful to everyone who shared their valuable insights with us on our design proposals for the Isle of Man’s first offshore wind farm, Mooir Vannin.

‘Since September the team at Ørsted have been carefully considering all of the comments we received and speaking to many other stakeholders.

‘All of this feedback has allowed us to refine and adapt the proposals before we submit a planning application to the Isle of Man government in spring 2025. ‘

Ørsted has published a report giving a summary of the community consultation, the feedback received, and how plans for the offshore wind farm have been adjusted.

A total of 598 responses were submitted to the consultation. A majority - 282 - supported the proposal with 226 against and 41 people saying they needed more information. Some 157 responses strongly supported the plans but 177 said they were strongly opposed.

Of those who expressed support for Ørsted’s proposals, the most common reasons for doing so included the enhanced energy security it would bring the island, the financial benefit to the Manx economy and the contribution the offshore wind farm would make to global and Isle of Man climate change targets.

Of the respondents who expressed opposition to the development, the most common reasons included visual impact, impact to wildlife such as birds and marine mammals and impact to shipping and navigation - especially to the ferry routes connecting the Isle of Man to the UK.

A postcard with news from Ørsted about its Mooir Vannin wind farm project will be delivered to all households across the island this week. It includes a link to the company’s website www.orsted.im and to its community consultation summary report.

Ørsted currently operates 12 offshore wind farms in the British Isles, with more in the pipeline.