Road to close for tree felling and survey works

A major route connecting the south of the Isle of Man with the capital is set to close for tree felling and wind turbine transportation survey works.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defa) will close the A5 New Castletown Road in Santon from Fairy Bridge to Blackboards Corner from 09:30 to 15:30 from Monday to Wednesday.

A single lane closure with temporary traffic lights will then continue from 09:30 to 16:30 on Thursday and Friday.

Manx Utilities said its contractors Wardell Armstrong would use the opportunity of the tree felling closure to undertake assessments on transporting wind turbine blades from Douglas Port to the south of the island.

It would include visual surveys in bat activity and woodland to understand the extent of pruning that may be required of trees, the authority said.

The project would see the installation of up to four turbines in Earystane Plantation, which would generate a quarter of the Island's annual electricity needs.

Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.