Earystane Forest

Summary

Cair Vie Resistance requested confirmation of any agreements or approvals regarding the sale or transfer of Earystane Forest and Cringle Great Park to Manx Utilities Authority. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that no such agreements, memoranda, or ministerial approvals exist.

Key Facts

• The request concerned potential land transfer negotiations between DEFA, Treasury, and Manx Utilities Authority.
• DEFA confirmed it has not entered into any Memorandum of Understanding or contractual agreement regarding the lands.
• DEFA confirmed there has been no ministerial or interdepartmental approval for the disposal or transfer of the lands.
• The response was issued under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.
• The case was closed on 11 March 2026.

Data Disclosed

• 5313073
• 2026-02-16
• 2026-03-11
• 1996
• s.3
• IM4 3AS
• 01624 685854
• 01624 685851

Original Request

Through the information disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act 2015, Cair Vie Resistance has learned that the Manx Utilities Authority has submitted an application for consent under The Electricity Act 1996, s.3 to establish a wind driven power generation station at Earystane. Secretive discussions have taken place between officers of DEFA and Treasury regarding the sale or transfer of land at Earystane Forest and Cringle Great Park. These negotiations, taking place without consultation with the statutory beneficiaries and without express Tynwald authorisation, may constitute a breach of statutory trust and maladministration. We therefore request confirmation as the whether DEFA has entered into or authorised any Memorandum of Understanding, heads of terms, or other contractual or quasi-contractual agreement or commercial understanding with the MUA, or other parties, concerning these lands; and whether any ministerial or interdepartmental approval (public or otherwise) has been given for their disposal or transfer.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator Corporate Services Directorate Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John’s, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Tel no (01624) 685854 Fax no (01624 685851 Email: defa@gov.im www.gov.im

Our ref: 5313073 11 March 2026

Dear ###

We write further to your request received 16 February 2026, which states:

"Through the information disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act 2015, Cair Vie Resistance has learned that the Manx Utilities Authority has submitted an application for consent under The Electricity Act 1996, s.3 to establish a wind driven power generation station at Earystane. Secretive discussions have taken place between officers of DEFA and Treasury regarding the sale or transfer of land at Earystane Forest and Cringle Great Park.

These negotiations, taking place without consultation with the statutory beneficiaries and without express Tynwald authorisation, may constitute a breach of statutory trust and maladministration.

We therefore request confirmation as the whether DEFA has entered into or authorised any Memorandum of Understanding, heads of terms, or other contractual or quasi- contractual agreement or commercial understanding with the MUA, or other parties, concerning these lands; and whether any ministerial or interdepartmental approval (public or otherwise) has been given for their disposal or transfer."

We therefore request confirmation as the whether DEFA has entered into or authorised any Memorandum of Understanding, heads of terms, or other contractual or quasi-contractual agreement or commercial understanding with the MUA, or other parties, concerning these lands.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. This is because the Department has not entered into or authorised any Memorandum of Understanding, heads of terms, or other contractual or quasi-contractual agreement or commercial understanding with the MUA, or other parties, concerning these lands.

We therefore request confirmation as the whether any ministerial or interdepartmental approval (public or otherwise) has been given for their disposal or transfer.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. This is because there has been no ministerial or interdepartmental approval (public or otherwise) for their disposal or transfer.

Please quote the reference number 5313073 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on:

1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or

2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.

In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.

More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im.

Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.