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28/06/2006
Judge rules against government on sewage
A Belfast judge has today ruled that the government acted unlawfully after failing to consider relevant issues when allowing new homes to be connected to inadequate sewage systems.
Mr Justice Weatherup today told Belfast's High Court that consent could only be granted for homes to be connected to the sewage system after pollution implications had been consideration.
Friends of the Earth, who were responsible for lodging the application for the judicial review against the Department for Regional Development (Water Service), have today claimed that the judge's ruling was a victory for the organisation.
John Woods, director of FoE Northern Ireland, said: "This is a victory for us. The court has accepted that the Water Service acted unlawfully in allowing these new connections to the sewage system.
"The Water Service are now legally obliged to take into account the impact on the sewage system when it makes these connections."
Mr Woods added that the ruling did not go as far as the group had wished, however added that the European Court would address the issue of similar breaches in European law.
Friends of the Earth have claimed that there are around 57 sewage 'hotspots' throughout Northern Ireland, which relates to when new housing developments are connected to a public sewer, which has little or no sewage treatment.
(EF/SP)
Mr Justice Weatherup today told Belfast's High Court that consent could only be granted for homes to be connected to the sewage system after pollution implications had been consideration.
Friends of the Earth, who were responsible for lodging the application for the judicial review against the Department for Regional Development (Water Service), have today claimed that the judge's ruling was a victory for the organisation.
John Woods, director of FoE Northern Ireland, said: "This is a victory for us. The court has accepted that the Water Service acted unlawfully in allowing these new connections to the sewage system.
"The Water Service are now legally obliged to take into account the impact on the sewage system when it makes these connections."
Mr Woods added that the ruling did not go as far as the group had wished, however added that the European Court would address the issue of similar breaches in European law.
Friends of the Earth have claimed that there are around 57 sewage 'hotspots' throughout Northern Ireland, which relates to when new housing developments are connected to a public sewer, which has little or no sewage treatment.
(EF/SP)
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