With a verbal agreement in place for a site in Peel, Manx Utilities is still in negotiations over a site in Garff for a sewage treatment plant.

While the site in Peel looks set to be built on a site between Glenfaba Road and the River Neb, the site in Garff has been a closely-guarded secret.

In its latest update, the MUA said it had reached a ‘verbal agreement’ for a site in Peel.

It added: ‘The Attorney General’s Chambers are working on a contract that will commit the landowner to selling the land once we have all of the required approvals in place. Non-intrusive surveys have already commenced (topographical, ecological etc), with ground investigations programmed for the end of November once the formal agreement is in place.

‘The design for the new works is underway.

‘The current programme has the submission of the planning application by the end of February. This cannot be any sooner due to the need to have the results of the ground investigation to finalise the design, in particular the slope stabilisation measures.

‘These will not be available until early in the New Year and is dependent on finalising land agreements.’

However, in Garff, Manx Utilities has said it is still in negotiations with the owner of the preferred site.

There is some good news though, with the authority saying it has ‘commenced the legal process of acquiring the land we need’.

It added: ‘The design has commenced for works at both pump station locations where the land is in MU ownership and held pre-application discussions with the planning department prior to submission of full planning applications.’

Long-term followers of the Laxey sewage problems will know that currently it is pumped out into the bay after passing through a system devised by the local authority in 1912. Tynwald has agreed to a £40.5m budget for the works.