Sunderland sewage investigation delayed again amid concerns

The issue threatened to block two separate plans for housing in Seaburn early in 2020 and even prompted calls for an independent review of the system.

But despite a previous promise by city leaders to investigate, the prospect of a probe has kicked further into the long grass.

Before the COVID-19 lockdown, Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee agreed to look at Wearside’s drainage infrastructure, with the possibility of it being referred to one of the council’s scrutiny panels for a more in-depth examination.

But since then the committee has been wound up, with its responsibilities split between two new Planning and Highways Committees, one covering the eastern half of the local authority area and the other handed responsibility for the western side.

In March, former panel chairwoman Julia Jackson said: “I think we have a duty to listen to residents and even though we know there were restrictions we’re not just going to ignore them.”

But at the inaugural meeting of the Planning and Highways (East) Committee on September 4, chairman Michael Essl put the brakes on suggestions it should be discussed by the new panel.

“It’s not a planning issue,” he said,

“There’s not a planning application to consider and my concern about taking it to full council is that you know how those things go – that is a political forum.”

He added: “I will have to discuss it with [council] officers and get back to you and see if we can get something firmer to take forward.”

The issue was raised by Cllr Niall Hodson, who said he was concerned the city’s sewage network ‘kept coming up’.

He was also backed by other members of the committee, including Cllr Denny Wilson, who assured the public the issue ‘has not been forgotten’, but added the ‘right place’ would have to be found to address it in the necessary detail.

But a warning was also sounded by Cllr Pat Smith to do so quickly, before planned government policy to overhaul planning rules could be pushed through.

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