PLANS to install a pumping station at L’Eree have angered residents and business owners in the area.

PLANS to install a pumping station at L’Eree have angered residents and business owners in the area.

Guernsey Water has applied for planning permission to build an underground pumping station in L’Eree Bay car park where the current bus shelter and recycling bins are situated.

A fibreglass kiosk about 1.8m high would be above ground, containing equipment such as electrics.

About 60 homes would be connected to the main drain under the plans, expected to cost approximately £1.2m.

L’Eree resident Bud Blondel, 47, lives opposite the site of the proposed pumping station. He is against the proposal as he believes it will create an ‘eyesore’ in the area.

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PLANS to install a pumping station at L’Eree have angered residents and business owners in the area.

Guernsey Water has applied for planning permission to build an underground pumping station in L’Eree Bay car park where the current bus shelter and recycling bins are situated.

A fibreglass kiosk about 1.8m high would be above ground, containing equipment such as electrics.

About 60 homes would be connected to the main drain under the plans, expected to cost approximately £1.2m.

L’Eree resident Bud Blondel, 47, lives opposite the site of the proposed pumping station. He is against the proposal as he believes it will create an ‘eyesore’ in the area.

‘I’ve nothing against a main drain but it shouldn’t be put there,’ he said. ‘It’s bad enough already with the recycling bins.

‘My house will probably devalue too. I bought it in 1993 for the view and now I will have to look out my window straight at a pumping station and recycling bins.’

Mr Blondel was also concerned about the personal cost of connecting his property to the main drain.

‘I will have to fork out to dig up my drive to put pipes down,’ he said.

‘My property is below the level of the pumping station so I’ll have to have electrics to work the pump and I’ll have to pay to have it serviced.

‘No one here wants it because they don’t want to fork out to dig up their drives and gardens after paying to have them done up.’

Neighbour Peter Piriou, 68, who also lives on the coast road, agreed that people would not want to spend their own money to connect to the main drain.

‘It will cost thousands and makes you wonder if it’s worthwhile,’ he said.

Director of water services Andrew Redhead wanted to encourage as many people as possible to join the main drain but said it was not feasible to spend public money for individual private properties.

‘Those individual properties will have to consider how best to do that,’ he said.

‘If people don’t want to spend the money they won’t be on the system.’

L’Eree Bay Hotel manager Mark Frost was concerned the smell from the pumping station would have a negative impact on his business.

‘There will have to be a vent and when they open it to empty it I could have guests around the pool and the stench will be awful,’ he said.

Mr Redhead disagreed, saying in fact the smell would reduce because there would be fewer sewage lorries emptying private pits on a regular basis.

‘The pumps will have to be maintained but there won’t be as frequent lifting of lids to maintain private cesspits.

‘I’m confident everyone will benefit from being on the main drain.’