Patrick want answers over potential regulations breach

Tue, 22 Dec 2020

Patrick commissioners have questioned whether financial regulations were breached in plans to deal with the Island’s waste.

It relates to the demolition of Glenfaba House, which was purchased by government in 2017 as part of the Regional Sewage Treatment Strategy.

Designs for a facility at the site have since been withdrawn by Manx Utilities following a recommendation from an independent planning inspector.

The local authority says it wants to know whether due process was followed.

Bought for £600,000, the historic old mansion house on Glenfaba Road was knocked down in April last year for the new treatment site in the west of the Island.

However, the commissioners say this was before the relevant planning permission had been granted.

“In demolishing Patrick’s historic Glenfaba House before seeking the necessary planning permission, we have questioned whether due process in accordance with Isle of Man Government Financial Regulations has been followed, such as Financial Regulations put in place specifically to ensure that due process protects and respects the long-term needs of the people of the Island, as opposed to the short-term priorities of any Government Department or Body”, the authority said.

MU Chairman Tim Baker said the decision of the planning inspector was ‘disappointing’ before defending the overall ‘unflawed’ strategy.

The £23.5m scheme is aimed at preventing waste being pumped into the sea but has suffered a number of setbacks.

Proposals for a new treatment works in Laxey were rejected in July before the plans for Peel were withdrawn.

A spokesman for MU initially said the scheme should be completed by 2021.

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