COUNCILLORS are calling on Defra to explain why a bid they put in for Designated Bathing Water Status at Calstock has been rejected. 

Calstock Parish Council submitted a bid to Defra in October last year to obtain Designated Bathing Water Status for the River Tamar at Calstock due to concerns over people swimming in water polluted by sewage spills.

At the end of last week, the parish council received a letter from Defra informing them that the application ‘has not met the criteria set out in the regulations and will not be taken forward for bathing water designation’.

The parish council declared itself ‘extremely disappointed’ and is calling for a proper explanation as it was revealed that Defra rejected all but one of the applications for bathing water status put in by campaigners for a number of UK rivers. 

Last August, the proposal to apply for bathing water status at Calstock waterside was suggested by then-parish councillor, Sophie Westwood, following concerns about sewage in the water where people, in particular, children, were swimming. The hope was that if the stretch of the river gained Designated Bathing Water status – that it is a bathing spot used reguarly – would be treated like popular beaches with incidents of sewage pollution, from the nearby sewage works, having to be published by the Environment Agency. The classification would also oblige regular testing of the water by the Environment Agency.

A survey was completed as part of the application where people were asked to count swimmers and other riverbank and water users at popular times. When Sophie stepped down as councillor, Councillor Richard Newton-Chance took over the application. An application was then submitted in October 2022. Following the rejection letter received last week, Cllr Newton-Chance expressed his discontent with the lack of explanation by the Government.

‘We’re obviously very disappointed’, said Cllr Newton-Chance. ‘But we’re more disappointed that the letter contains no reason. Defra say we don’t meet the criteria, but after four months of looking at the application, there is no indication of which criteria we haven’t met. There’s absolutely no feedback.

‘We need to know why they’ve turned it down. This was one part of our efforts to get South West Water and other landowners and polluters to clean up their act and that really depends on the Environment Agency regularly testing the water and tracking down who is causing the pollution, but at the moment, that is just not happening.

‘It’s bad politics on Defra’s part.’

Cllr Newton-Chance has since emailed Defra demanding an explanation.

Cllr Tinto echoed Cllr Newton-Chance’s views, saying: ‘It’s really disappointing and it will disappoint a lot of people who swim in the river and will still be swimming in what is probably a polluted river. As far as I could see we ticked all the boxes in the application. It was even backed by our MP, Sheryll Murray.’

Defra provided the following response when asked to provide explanation: ‘We would not comment on individual applications that are not being taken forward to consultation, but all applicants have been informed of the outcome of their application.

‘When selecting new sites for potential bathing water designation, we consider how many people bathe there, if the site has suitable infrastructure and facilities, such as toilets, and if measures are being taken to promote bathing at those waters. All applications are assessed against these factors and applications that do not meet the essential criteria will not proceed to national consultation.’

Coincidently, an anti-pollution event is taking place at Calstock waterside this Saturday (March 18) at 11.30am which will see the public gather together to demand clean water in the River Tamar. The event has been organised by Extinction Rebellion, and has received support from the parish council, with some councillors in attendance.