HC Deb 08 May 1989 vol 152 cc350-1W
Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in theOfficial Report the estimated cost for each of (a) Bispham, (b) Cleveleys, (c) Fleetwood and (d) Heysham—Half Moon bay of (i) a long sea outfall, (ii) full sewage treatment works with a short sea outfall and (iii) full sewage treatment works with a long sea outfall to enable them to comply with European Economic Community bathing water directive 76/160/ EEC; and when the appropriate solution will be put in place, giving estimated date of commencement and completion.

Mr. Howard

The North West water authority has proposed a scheme involving the construction of a long sea outfall to bring, inter alia, the five bathing waters at Blackpool including the waters at Bispham and Cleveleys into compliance with the EC bathing water directive by 1993 at a total cost of about £55 million. I understand that as a result of this scheme, the waters at Fleetwood are also expected to meet the directive's standards by the same date. The date of commencement for this scheme depends upon the Secretary of State's decision on whether to grant NWWA's applications for consent to discharge from the proposed long sea outfall.

The capital cost of providing, as an alternative, a sewage treatment works with a short sea outfall is estimated to be around £10 million higher than the proposed scheme, with additional running costs of around £1 million per annum. However, such a scheme is unlikely to enable all the identified bathing waters in the area to achieve the required EC standards.

Full details of the option of a sewage treatment works combined with a long sea outfall are not available, but I understand that the capital cost would be some £20 million to £30 million higher than the proposed scheme.

With regard to the bathing waters at Heysham—Half Moon bay, the North West water authority has been asked to draw up detailed plans to bring this, and other bathing waters in the north-west, up to EC standards by 1995. Until these plans have been fully assessed I am unable to give details of either the costs involved or compliance dates.

Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in theOfficial Report the estimated cost for each of (a) Formby, (b) Ainsdale and (c) Southport of (i) a long sea outfall, (ii) full sewage treatment works with a short sea outfall, (iii) full sewage treatment works with a long sea outfall to enable them to comply with EEC bathing water directive 76/160/EEC; and when the appropriate solutions will be put in place giving the estimated date of commencement and completion.

Mr. Howard

[holding answer 3 May 1989]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked the North West water authority to draw up detailed plans with a view to bringing their bathing waters up to EC standards by 1995. Until these plans have been fully assessed, I am unable to give details of either the costs or compliance dates involved for particular bathing waters.

Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in theOfficial Report the estimated cost for each of (a) St. Annes, (b) St. Annes north, (c) Blackpool south, (d) Blackpool central and (e) Blackpool north of (i) a long sea outfall, (ii) full sewerage treatment works with a short sea outfall and (iii) full sewerage treatment works with a long sea outfall to enable them to comply with European Economic Community bathing water directive 76/160/EEC; and when the appropriate solution will be put in place, giving the estimated date of commencement and completion.

Mr. Howard

[holding answer 4 May 1989]: The North West water authority has proposed a scheme involving the construction of a long sea outfall to bring, inter alia, the

£ billion
Market value of housing stock 31 December 1986 645.3
Rateable value of domestic property 1 April 1988 3.969
Rate income from domestic ratepayers in 1988–89 7.812