Government to appeal refusal of silt treatment plans

The government has confirmed it will appeal against the refusal of plans to dispose of contaminated silt at the site of a former mine on the Isle of Man.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defa) had applied to treat material dredged from Peel Marina at Cross Vein Mine in Foxdale before using it to fill in eroded areas at the site.

But the island's planning committee threw out the plans, citing concerns over a rise in HGV traffic between the site and Peel and a lack of consideration of alternative methods of disposing of the sediment.

The government said it was "naturally disappointed" by the decision and give the feedback "careful consideration" before lodging the appeal.

• Plans for silt disposal at former mine rejected

Peel Marina sees about 3,000 tonnes of silt, containing traces of heavy metals including zinc and lead, wash into the harbour from the River Nebb each year.

Efforts to deal with the build up began more than a decade ago due to concerns over the viability of berths in the marina.

To deal with that material, an initial temporary store was established at Rockmount, near to the government-owned quarry on Poortown Road in German.

A silt lagoon - used to dry out the material - was also established at Ballaterson Farm near Peel Power Station to deal with the material from ongoing dredging.

At its meeting on Monday, the committee approved two other applications relating to the sediment - both submitted by the Department of Infrastructure (DOI).

One to make the Rockmount store permanent with the restoration of the land in the area, and the other to extend the lifespan of the lagoon.

The rejected Cross Vein application would have formed phase two of the government's plans to deal with the material, which contains zinc and lead, allowing for its long-term disposal.

In a joint statement, the DOI and Defa said they noted the refusal, and "while naturally disappointed, we respect the committee's decision".

"Defa will proceed with an appeal and will take the feedback provided into careful consideration," the statement added.

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