Onshore wind farm

Summary

A request for financial data and land acquisition correspondence regarding the Isle of Man onshore wind farm was partially fulfilled, with Treasury papers and emails released but specific details redacted due to exemptions.

Key Facts

• The Treasury released extracts from four specific Treasury papers (Nos. 23/262, 23/461, 25/258) containing financial budgets and forecasts.
• Emails between the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture and Treasury regarding land valuation for Earystane Plantation were disclosed.
• The response outcome was 'Some information sent but part exempt' on 21 July 2025.
• Redactions were applied to emails citing legal privilege and commercial interests.
• The request involved land access for Manx Utilities Authority (MUA) project development.

Data Disclosed

• 2025-05-15
• 2025-07-21
• 24/12/2024
• 07 February 2025
• 06 February 2025
• 30 January 2025
• 175 acres
• Treasury paper No. 23/262
• Treasury paper No. 23/461
• Treasury paper No. 25/258
• FRE-4057
• FRE-4174
• 24-773

Exemptions Cited

• s.25
• s.30
• s.35
• legal privilege

Original Request

I seek disclosure of the financial information relating to the onshore wind farm, including the land acquisition or land access for the  purpose of developing the wind farm.  Specifically, I request: 1. All financial information, including financial budgets and projections/forecasts, located in Treasury papers, relating to the onshore wind farm. 2. Any SACIC minutes, Major Project Board minutes and emails relating to land acquisition or land access for the purpose of developing the wind farm 

Data Tables (2)

Full Response Text

Part 1
Extracts from Treasury papers for all financial information, including financial budgets and projections/forecasts, relating to the onshore wind farm. Treasury paper No. 23/262 titled FRE-4057 Site Surveys for Onshore Windfarm

Extract from appendix 1 to Treasury paper No. 23/262 titled Mini competition request for approval, site surveys for onshore wind farm

Treasury paper No. 23/461 titled FRE-4174 Wardell Armstrong – Onshore Wind Surveys Phase 2

Treasury paper No. 25/258 titled Manx Utilities onshore wind project update

Extracts from emails relating to land acquisition or land access for the purpose of developing the wind farm RE: 24-773 MUA Project Development Fund Bid – Onshore Wind dated 24/12/2024

to legal privilege.  You must not copy or deliver it to any other person or use the contents in any unauthorised manner without the express permission of the sender.  If you are not the intended addressee of this e-mail, please delete it and notify the sender as soon as possible. P please consider the environment - do you really need to print this email?       From: Lees, Andrew Andrew.Lees@gov.im Sent: 15 May 2025 14:47 To: @gov.im> Subject: Earystane valuation   Good afternoon,   As part of the Onshore Wind Farm Project and the requirement of land from DEFA specifically Earystane Plantation, are you able to please provide a valuation I can share with the MUA. -  I have attached a map showing the area.   Please let me know if you need any additional information or if you prefer a different format.   Regards   Andrew Lees Director of Forestry, Amenity & Lands   Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St Johns, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS       s.25 s.25 From: Sidebottom, Andrew (Treasury) To: Lees, Andrew; Cc: Lord, Jason Subject: RE: Great Cringle Park & Earystane Date: 07 February 2025 08:50:00 Attachments: image001.png image002.png Morning, There’s nothing we can do then at this stage. We need to know the proposals or we are valuing blind. If the whole thing was less secretive then it would all be easier to advise upon. Kind regards Andrew   From: Lees, Andrew Andrew.Lees@gov.im Sent: 06 February 2025 15:54 To: @gov.im>; Sidebottom, Andrew (Treasury) Andrew.Sidebottom@gov.im Cc: Lord, Jason Jason.Lord@gov.im Subject: RE: & Earystane   Hi   Thank you for your email.   I respectfully disagree with your assessment. The intention of the MUA is to harvest the plantation and return it to heathland, constituting a change of use. Additionally, there is inherent value in the timber to be harvested, which the Department expects to be reimbursed for (unless the MUA purchases it standing).   Finally, I currently do not have information on the specific areas that will be affected by this change, as the MUA has not released that information yet. I will inquire about this and cc you on the correspondence.   Regards   Andrew Lees Director of Forestry, Amenity & Lands   Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St Johns, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS   s.25 s.25 s.30 & s.35 s.25 Kind regards Andrew   From: Lees, Andrew Andrew.Lees@gov.im Sent: 30 January 2025 11:30 To: @gov.im> Cc: Sidebottom, Andrew (Treasury) Andrew.Sidebottom@gov.im Subject: & Earystane   Hi   Could you please provide a valuation for the following areas?   This information will need to be shared with the MUA.   1. 2. Earystane plantation – Labelled 2 – 175 acres.   Additionally, my team of foresters will also assess the plantation according to the Fin Regs considering the change in land use.   Regards   Andrew Lees Director of Forestry, Amenity & Lands   Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St Johns, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS     s.25 s.30 & s.35 s.25 s.30 & s.35

Freedom of Information
Seyrsnys Fysseree

The Treasury Government Office,
Douglas Isle of Man, IM1 3PU

Telephone: (01624) 685605 Email: FOI.Treasury@gov.im

Government Website: www.gov.im

Our ref: 4660353 21 July 2025

Dear ###,

We write further to your request, received 15 May 2025 and amended on 30 June 2025, which states:

"I seek disclosure of the financial information relating to the onshore wind farm, including the land acquisition or land access for the purpose of developing the wind farm.

Specifically, I request:

1. All financial information, including financial budgets and projections/forecasts, located in Treasury papers, relating to the onshore wind farm.

2. Any SACIC minutes, Major Project Board minutes and emails relating to land acquisition or land access for the purpose of developing the wind farm "

Our response to your request is as follows:

Part 1

Please find attached Appendix 1 which details extracts from Treasury papers for all financial information. Please note some information is out of scope of the request and has been removed as follows – Out of scope.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance some of the information is exempt from disclosure under section 30 of the Act as disclosure would be likely to prejudice the economic and financial interests of the island, under s30(1)(a) and s30(1)(b) of the Act.

Manx Utilities is a Statutory Board of the Isle of Man Government and their financial position is inextricably linked to Government finances and as a result to the taxpayer. Significant effects on costs whether positive or negative will have an impact on the economy. Disclosure of financial information from the Treasury papers will influence

fair and open tender processes offering a commercial advantage to any potential bidders to inflate bids resulting in detriment to Manx Utilities and ultimately taxpayers. Not disclosing this financial information guarantees a fair, open and transparent tendering process to ensure best value to Manx Utilities and taxpayers for this proposed publicly owned project. Therefore this ensures the most efficient administration of government finances and minimises the cost to the taxpayer.

As section 30 is a qualified exemption, it is subject to a public interest test. The public interest must be something that is of serious concern and benefit to the public at large.

Factors in favour of disclosure • Disclosure would allow scrutiny of the financial information and detail what public money is involved allowing the public to hold Government to account for their management of public funds.
• There is a legitimate interest in this scheme.
• Disclosure of the information will promote public understanding and debate.
• Disclosure would build trust, transparency and enhance the reputation of Manx Utilities and the Treasury.

Factors in favour of withholding • The underlying purpose of these exemptions as applied are to protect the economy.
• Disclosure could result in economic instability.
• Disclosure could result in financial instability for the Authority, for Government and for taxpayers.
• Disclosure would be likely to affect a fair, open and transparent tendering/bidding process which is required to achieve best value of public funds.
• Disclosure will make commercially sensitive information available to potential participants within the tender process offering them an commercial advantage. This would undermine reputation and trust.

In taking these factors into account the Treasury determined that the factors in favour of maintaining the exemption outweigh the factors in favour of disclosing the information.

Part 2

Please find attached Appendix 2 which details extracts from SACIC minutes, Major Project Board minutes and emails relating to land acquisition or land access for the purpose of developing the wind farm. Please note some information is out of scope of the request and has been removed as follows – Out of scope.

In addition to the removal of the information which is out of scope some exemptions have also been applied to the information in Appendix 2 and these are detailed as follows:

Section 25 Absolutely exempt personal information

The information which is subject to disclosure contain a range of personal information. In this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because it is absolutely exempt under section 25 of the Act (absolutely exempt personal information).

The information to which this exemption applies includes individual’s names, job titles, email addresses and phone numbers.

The reasons why this exemption applies are that:

• The Treasury is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data of which you are not the data subject; and

• The Treasury is satisfied that disclosure of the information would contravene one of the data protection principles as set out at Article 5 of the General Data
protection Regulation as it applies in the Isle of Man pursuant to the Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018, namely that the Treasury can only disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions for lawful processing in Article 6 and in this case, none of those conditions have been met.

Section 30 Economy and commercial interests (1)(a)&(b) – the economic and financial interests of the Island

The onshore wind farm project is an ongoing, publicly owned project which involves a number of Government Departments and a Statutory Board. Other Government Boards are also involved in the project and all the parties need a safe space to discuss the project, including exploring options and making decisions for the benefit of the project. If the specific information within Appendix 2 was to be disclosed this would be likely to affect the ability to deliver the scheme within the required timeframe and increase the costs of the project. Which is not in the economic and financial interests of the Island. Not disclosing this information ensures the most efficient administration of government finances and minimises the cost to the taxpayer.

As section 30 is a qualified exemption, it is subject to a public interest test. The public interest must be something that is of serious concern and benefit to the public at large.

Factors in favour of disclosure • To promote public transparency and confidence of decision making within all parties involved in the delivery of this project.
• To allow full scrutiny of the actions of all parties involved in the project and be held account for all decisions made.
• There is a legitimate interest in this project.
• Disclosure of the information would promote public understanding of the decisions being taken and the different stages of the project.
• Disclosure will increase trust in all the parties involved.

Factors in favour of withholding
• The underlying purpose of these exemptions as applied are to protect the economy.
• Disclosure could result in economic instability.
• Disclosure could result in financial instability for the Authority, for Government and for taxpayers.
• Releasing the information would be likely to affect the ability to deliver the scheme within the required timeframe and increase the costs of the project. • The project is still live and parts of the project are still being developed which significantly increases the impact of disclosure.
• Disclosure would adversely other public departments and their activities within the process and potentially burden them with extra requests for information.

In taking these factors into account the Treasury determined that the factors in favour of maintaining the exemption outweigh the factors in favour of disclosing the information.

Section 35 Conduct of public business
(b) to inhibit – (ii) the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation

Appendix 2 includes information relating to Officer and Board member comments and they are providing free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation.

The Treasury is satisfied that an exemption under section 35(b)(ii) of the Act is engaged in this instance (to inhibit the free and frank exchange of views for the purpose of deliberation).

A disclosure under the Act is deemed as a disclosure to the world rather than a disclosure to an individual requestor, and we acknowledge that the information could be reproduced once published. We must therefore protect both current and future interests of Officers and Board members to allow all parties involved to adhere to due process and ensure appropriate governance is employed at all times to meet wider objectives and purposes.

(c) Otherwise to prejudice the effective conduct of public business

As previously stated, a disclosure under the Act is deemed as a disclosure to the world. The information which is subject to disclosure could impair the effective conduct of public business ability in its decision making within the context of delivering this publicly owned project within the required timeframe and at its best value.

All the parties involved need to protect a ‘safe space’ in which to consider, deliberate and debate the decision making process, and due process with important information safeguarded, not biased and ensure correct governance prevails. This will enable the project to be completed within the required timeframe and at its best value.

As section 35 is a qualified exemption, it is subject to a public interest test. The public interest must be something that is of serious concern and benefit to the public at large.

Factors in favour of disclosure • To promote transparency of interactions between all the parties involved. • Disclosure of the information would provide transparency to the public and provide confidence in decisions made relating to the project. • There is a legitimate interest in this project. • As the project has gained public interest, the disclosure of the information would inform public debate.

Factors in favour of withholding • All parties need a ‘safe space’ in which to consider, deliberate and debate this project. • Disclosure of this information would impair future communications and ‘water down’ the detailed recording of such discussions.
• The project is still live and full disclosure of information held at this stage would be likely to hinder or have undue effect on decisions made relating to further progression of the project.
• Much of the information will become evident by public announcement at the designated and commercially correct time as not to bias decision making or commercial sensitivities that may occur if disclosed early.
• Disclosure would be likely to adversely affect other Public Department

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