Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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Applications to discharge effluent into the Atlantic turned down
Three applications by South West Water to discharge effluent into the Atlantic Ocean have been refused by Secretary of State for the Environment Hilary Benn following a public inquiry.
The applications concerned proposed discharges from Tintagel Fine Screening Installation and Bossiney Sewage Treatment Works in Cornwall.
Objections to the applications were lodged by local resident group TAIST (Tintagel Against Inferior Sewage Treatment) who were concerned that the proximity of the villages meant their discharges should be considered equivalent to those of a single larger settlement, and should therefore be subject to a higher level of treatment than South West Water proposed. As a result of these objections the case was called in for a decision by the Secretary of State.
Hilary Benn agreed with recommendations made by the Planning Inspector, who conducted a public inquiry in 2006. In reaching his recommendations the Inspector took account of information and evidence provided by all parties, together with the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and Government policy.
He found that Tintagel and Bossiney should be regarded as a single settlement with a population equivalent of over 2,000, therefore exceeding the threshold at which a higher level of treatment is required for coastal discharges. South West Water will now have to submit alternative plans.
The Inspector's report is available from The Planning Inspectorate, Room 4/04, Kite Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN; telephone 0117 372 8726; E-mail: enquiries@planning-inspectorate.gsi.gov.uk
Notes for Editors
1. Under the Water Resources Act 1991(the WRA), the Environment Agency (the Agency) has responsibility for the regulation of discharges to rivers, lakes, tidal, coastal and groundwaters in England and Wales.
2. To make a discharge, it is a requirement under the WRA 91 to make an application for consent from the Agency to discharge. Most applications have to be advertised, and third parties have the right to lodge representations or objections against the application to the Agency before a decision is made.
3. The Act also provides objectors with a route to the Secretary of State to request him to 'call in' an application if they have continuing concerns about an application not already addressed by the Agency. This is not a formal appeals mechanism, but is a means of allowing objectors to draw cases to the attention of the Secretary of State who considers each call in request against established criteria. Depending on whether or not the criteria are met, the Secretary of State can either call in an application for his own determination or refuse the request, in which case the application is returned to the Agency for determination.
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