Work will start this week on Peel’s new wastewater treatment works.

Manx Utilities announced the next big step in the protracted plans which should clean up the waters in the town’s bay by halting the dumping of raw sewage.

At present, Peel is generally served by a combined foul sewer system, which drains by gravity to the sewage pumping station located off the promenade at Shore Road. Effluent is then pumped untreated and unscreened to an outfall and discharge point in the bay, east of the breakwater.

The new sewage treatment facility will be constructed in fields bordered by the Heritage Trail and overlooked by the Castle View nursing home on the other side of Glenfaba Road.

Work to construct the facility is being led by principal contractor Eric Wright Water, with support from Paul Carey & Sons Ltd.

Initial activities will focus on site preparation, including the stripping of topsoil, setting up the site compound, and installing security fencing. This will be followed by trenching work in preparation for the diversion of overhead electricity cables.

Additionally, there will be some work to improve access to the site.

Manx Utilities chairman John Wannenburgh MHK said: ‘I am pleased to see this long-awaited project move forward, not only for Peel but as part of the final two remaining projects to end the discharge of raw sewage into the sea around our precious coastline.’

The project has been delayed after an appeal was lodged against the plans which had been unanimously approved in July last year by the planning committee.

The appeal was lodged with planners by the owners of an adjacent field who have permission to build 21 houses onsite and claimed there had been ‘incorrect planning procedure and information supplied to Planning Committee’.

The appeal was later dismissed but it delayed the scheme which had originally been due to start construction in autumn last year.