'Peel Kept in the Dark' - that was the cry yesterday evening (Tuesday 20th October) as over 100 townspeople gathered outside Peel town hall with placards to protest against controversial sewage plans.

The Commissioners were set to discuss the plans at their meeting but, owing to a procedural technicality, the decision was taken to defer discussion until a public meeting has taken place (scheduled for next week).

The Department of Transport has revealed plans to site an uncovered treatment works within the town's residential boundary, as part of the Regional IRIS Strategy.

However, residents have expressed strong concerns about the environmental issues surrounding the proposal, and several Commissioners are also understood to have registered objections.

The proposed plant would occupy roughly three acres of land adjacent to the public Heritage Trail (the old railway line) where it joins the industrial estate on Mill Road.

Following treatment at the plant, a pipeline would carry the 'clean' sewage under Mill Road and East Quay, then through the existing pump house on Shore Road, to be discharged from the current outfall behind Peel Breakwater.

Peel Town Commissioners had stressed that last night's meeting was not an open forum: only twenty members of the public were admitted to the meeting, and not permitted to give their views.

The decision to postpone discussion was met with unanimous delight from the crowd.

The public meeting relating to the sewage works will take place on Thursday 29th October at 7.30pm in the Corrin Hall on Derby Road.