SOUTH West Water's planning application to install a sewage treatment works at Trevalga, near Boscastle, has been deferred.

The application was discussed by Cornwall County Council's Planning Committee at County Hall, Truro, last Thursday.

A number of residents from the Trevalga area travelled to Truro to protest, with placards, outside the building, and to listen to the debate.

The committee voted in favour of deferring the plans until the next meeting, pending architectural reports to see if the treatment works can be lowered into the ground.

Members of TATAS (Trevalga and Trethevy Against Sewage) now intend to use the few weeks before the next meeting to look into the possibility of getting a public inquiry.

Clive Baylay, chairman of TATAS, said: "I wish the public to know that those of us who were present at the meeting were left shocked and in a state of disbelief at the level of debate. As far as I can recall, not one planning policy that this proposal contravenes was quoted by committee members.

In fact, the statements which were made, in my opinion, of an ill-informed and largely subjective nature, which led me to believe that members had not done their homework."

He added: "Fortunately, the chairman, Mr Roger Bonney, appeared to be dissatisfied with what was taking place and, with some difficulty, managed to get a vote in favour of deferring a decision until the next planning meeting to be held on February 19, pending further investigation into the possibility of sinking the proposed sewage treatment works into the ground.

"In the meantime, we will vigorously continue to fight South West Water's proposal to desecrate this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is also listed as a Medieval Field Strip Enclosure and is situated in an extremely prominent position, in an area popular with tourists."