A Garff MHK fears the defeat of unpopular plans for a sewage treatment plant in Laxey will lead to seawater in the bay not being clean for another six years.

Campaigners celebrated last week when Manx Utilities announced it would not appeal against planners’ rejection of proposals to put the works on the site of the chalets at the bottom of Breeze Hill.

A key objection was the scheme did not deal with the impact of a sewage outfall in neighbouring Baldrine.

Garff MHK Martyn Perkins has kept his counsel on the scheme until now, as he is chairman of the planning committee. But now he is free to speak.

He told the Examiner: ’Provided it was the true majority of Laxey people who did not want the proposed system then the democratic process has worked.

’I am concerned that Laxey will not get clean seawater until 2026/2027 because the process has virtually to start again and it will be without doubt difficult to get a consensus, purchase land and get planning approval before then.’

His constituency colleague Daphne Caine was opposed to the scheme and has expressed optimism for a more consensual approach between local people and Manx Utilities.

But Mr Perkins warned: ’The island has signed up to achieve (EU) 2006 water quality standards so we are internationally obliged to achieve this.

’Laxey, Baldrine and Peel are the only places left on the Isle of Man that discharge untreated sewage directly into the sea.’

A public campaign for ’pump not dump’, to see the area’s waste pumped underneath MER tracks to line up with a central system - similar to the way the south links to the IRIS integrated sewerage system - raised numerous questions, said Mr Perkins.

Those included the need for a screening plant and the power required to pump the sewage up a height of 375 feet.

He said there were issues that needed to be addressed with all the potential routes.

Any suggestion to extend the existing sewage discharge pipe was a ’non-starter’ unless the sewage was treated, he said.

’Whatever scheme that is decided on, if it is going to cost more than the money already set aside then Tynwald will have to approve the extra money,’ he added.

’Hopefully, we can all get together and come up with a way forward for Laxey.’

Mrs Caine, however, said: ’It restores my faith in democracy that Manx Utilities has decided not to appeal.

’The tone of the (MU) announcement is encouraging where it states they will work with the community to find an holistic solution which is most appropriate for Garff.’

She agreed it was important the outfall at Baldrine stopped sending untreated sewage into the sea.

Mrs Caine added: ’We all accept that doing nothing is not an option but we have to find an appropriate scheme that is in harmony with the area and does not spoil forever the tourist amenity of Laxey’s ancient harbour.’

She said she hoped no option was off the table, ’accepting that cost has to be a consideration but it should not be the overriding influence on finding the best solution for the whole community’.

Many Laxey residents and the majority of Garff Commissioners were against the scheme.

MU chairman Tim Baker pledged to seek a solution for all of Garff but warned: ’Doing nothing is not an option.’