Controversial plans for a sewage treatment farm in Laxey have won the support of the principal planner.

Manx Utilities’ application (20/00082/B) is for sewage works to be built on the chalet site at Breeze Hill in Laxey.

Even before the plans were lodged, a large number of, but not all, residents, campaigners and the local authority have objected to the proposals, with some favouring the ’Pump not Dump’ method.

This would see the pumping of sewage up to the main road or Manx Electric Railway track and then running a pipe to join this up with the IRIS system.

As part of her assessment of the proposal, planner Sarah Corlett addressed issues including smell, noise, disruption from tankers, safety, spoiling the view and privacy, but ultimate found in favour of the MUA.

Residents also put forward many alternative sites which the MUA had considered.

Miss Corlett said: ’In terms of alternative sites, the applicant has identified a number of these and reasons why they were discounted.

’There is no evidence that any one of the sites would have less of an environmental impact and indeed the majority of correspondence that discounts the present scheme suggests that piping the sewage south is the preferred option, fully accepting that this is a more costly option.’

Residents also had concerns about the tankers being used to remove the waste from the site being driven up Minorca Hill and past the village’s primary school.

However, the MUA have said that tanker movements ’will be set to run outside school opening, closing and lunch times where possible’.

Other concerns that were dismissed included being damaging to Laxey as a tourist destination as Miss Corlett said that the improved bathing water ’will enhance the attraction of the beach for visitors and this is considered to outweigh any negative impact on tourism in this part of the village’.

She added: ’It is concluded that the development will have an impact on the area, that it will neither preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area and that there will be concerns that the development will have an adverse impact on the area through noise and odour.

’However, given the information provided by the applicant in respect of noise and odour it is not considered that these impacts are sufficient to warrant refusal of the application.’

The planning committee will be hearing the application at 10am on Monday, July 27.

However, it will likely have to do so without chairman Martyn Perkins, the only elected member of the committee, as he is also the MHK representing Laxey.