Michael District Commissioners have condemned the recent windfarm proposals for Druidale and Sulby.

Two potential sites – Sulby and Druidale in the north and Earystane and Scards in the south – have been earmarked for a multi-million pound project which will play a key role in the government’s target to decarbonise the island’s electricity supply by 2030.

Under the proposals, seven to 10 wind turbines could be installed around Sulby reservoir and Druidale compared to four or five turbines at a more visible site at Earystane and Scards.

Two commissioners from Michael have described the northern windfarm plans as ‘just as bad an idea as the plans for Earystane’ in the south.

Chair of the commissioners Catriona Livingstone discussed the issue at a public meeting opposing the plans in the south of the island on Tuesday evening. She commented: ‘It’s just as bad an idea as the plans for the south.

‘The 2026 deadline for the plans is arbitrary, as it doesn’t make sense to do something in three years that, if it was done properly, would take four years to undertake proper studies into wind and wildlife alone.

‘It’s disheartening to hear that they will have to order and spend money on these turbines when later on in the process the proposal could easily turn out to be a bad one.’

Fellow commissioner Carol Lillywhite said: ‘It’s quite a remote area with little property, but it still has historic monuments there.

‘The beauty of the land has a value and that’s being ignored at the moment.’