Wright’s Pit North, a landfill site in Bride, has been called into question by Garff MHK Daphne Caine.

It comes as an inspector’s report, which advised Council of Ministers to accept a planning application which would grant permission for the continued use of the site until 2030 subject to a number of conditions, was laid before Tynwald this week.

Last month Council of Minister’s approved the planning application.

But some MHKs and MLCs have voiced concerns as they questioned whether the independent inspector was misled.

Mrs Caine said: ‘The independent planning inspector clearly states that she understands that over the past five years the department has continued to plan for the development of the fully engineered landfill facility as a replacement for Wright’s Pit North. Further it states she was advised that a planning application has been made for that facility. She refers again later on in the report to the recent application for the fully engineered landfill replacement, and says in the context set out above I’m satisfied that the continuing need of Wright’s Pit North.’

Mrs Caine added: ‘Can the minister explain how the independent inspector was so seriously misled?’

Infrastructure minister, Tim Crookall, said: ‘I certainly refute that on behalf of the department it was said and it is in the report, and there is an investigation going on, as far as we can tell from the department’s officers that gave evidence, those words were not said that a planning application has been submitted for a new place.’

He said that work continues for a replacement site of Wright’s Pit North, adding that whilst there is permission to use Wright’s Pit North until 2030, it only has capacity for between 18 months and five years.