The project, which has spent years bogged down in planning appeals, finally appeared to get the green light when Scottish Water's appeal against the refusal of planning permission for a pumping station near Ardbeg Point - one of five which would have connected the area to the existing Rothesay sewage system - was upheld by the Scottish Executive in 2006.

But while they were waiting for the appeal, Scottish Water "reprioritised" the project, with the result that it was dropped from the company's Quality and Standards Phase II, or Q&SII, investment programme.

Talks are under way to try and fit the scheme into the Q&SIII investment period - but this began in 2006 and does not end until 2014, which means it could yet be several years before the proposal becomes a reality.

In the meantime raw sewage will continue to be pumped from 14 separate outfalls into the sea off Port Bannatyne and Ardbeg, contravening a European directive on waste water treatment which aimed to outlaw the practice by the end of 2005.

A Scottish Water spokesman said: "It was considered that there was a high risk that the project could not be delivered within the Q&SII investment period from 2002 to 2006, and the project to connect Ardbeg and Port Bannatyne was reprioritised pending the outcome of the appeal.

"The Scottish Executive issued its determination in August 2006, upholding Scottish Water's appeal, and discussions are now taking place between Scottish Water and its regulator, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency) to determine an appropriate delivery timescale within the Q&SIII investment period between 2006 and 2014."

On hearing the news, Bute Community Council chairman and Port Bannatyne representative Donnie MacLeod told us: "Six years is definitely a disappointingly long time - you would hope something could be done before then.

"The pumping stations have to go somewhere. Some people seemed more concerned about property prices being affected by having a pumping station near their home, but surely raw sewage appearing on the beach would have a far worse effect."

A spokesperson for SEPA said the organisation had only "recently learned" of Scottish Water's successful planning appeal.
Said the spokesperson: "SEPA reluctantly agreed to a deferral of the Port Bannatyne scheme when Scottish Water announced in 2005 that planning permission had been refused.

"As the appeal was likely to be a lengthy process and effectively nothing could be delivered during that funding period, it was decided to allocate funds to other priority sewage schemes at the time, rather than lose it.

"SEPA has recently learned that the planning appeal has been successful and we are again in talks with Scottish Water to ensure that Port Bannatyne is connected into the Rothesay main sewerage scheme at the first realistic opportunity.

"We are currently looking at ways to include the scheme in Scottish Water's current Quality and Standards funding programme."