Plans for a new sewage treatment works for Peel have been unanimously approved - taking the island one step closer to ending the dumping of raw sewage in the sea.

Manx Utilities has welcomed the decision by the planning committee on Monday to approve its application for the construction of the works on land west of Glenfaba Road (23/01407/B).

Full planning approval will not be received until after a three-week window for appeals to be lodged.

If there are no appeals, it is planned that construction will start in early autumn with screening facilities in place by the end of 2025 and flows being treated at the works by the end of 2026.

Manx Utilities chairman John Wannenburgh MHK said: ‘This is an extremely positive milestone, which takes us one step closer to finally putting an end to the discharge of raw sewage to sea for our island.

‘On completion, the works will provide a huge improvement to our marine environment and to Peel bathing water quality.

‘Manx Utilities is appreciative of the support of the Peel community, and we look forward to providing more detail around the planned programme of works in the near future.’

Recommending approval, planning officer Russell Williams said: ‘The proposed development will deliver an infrastructure and sewerage project to serve one of the main towns on the island, where raw sewage is currently pumped untreated into the ocean.

‘The provision of a sewage treatment works will be instrumental in meeting a significant number of environmental objectives.

‘The benefits of the development significantly and demonstrably outweigh the identified harm.’

At present, the town of 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.

It will feature seven Integral Rotating Biological Contactors and an odour control unit.

Objectors queried whether sewage would be treated to the required standard and raised concerns about an ‘odour cloud’ being created but other residents and business owners were supportive of the proposals.

In April Manx Utilities announced the plans had been delayed by a year.

It had been due to be completed by the final quarter of next year.

But issues with supply of vital wastewater treatment equipment have delayed the target for full commissioning to the final quarter of 2026 - although Manx Utilities said elements of the project can be completed earlier to provide clean bathing water by next summer.