AQW 7321/17-22

Mr Andrew Muir
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 21/09/2020
Answered On Date: 30/09/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, in light of the increased level of open water swimming, whether he will include waters at (i) Brompton Road, Bangor; and (ii) Skippingstone Beach, Bangor as designated bathing sites for water quality testing.

Answer:

Interested parties who wish to nominate a site for consideration as a formally identified bathing water may do so at any time, subject to the nomination meeting certain criteria. These criteria include:

provision of initial usage evidence at the site (the selection criteria for candidate sites is over 45 bathers on at least one occasion or over 100 beach users on at least two occasions across a review period)

evidence that bathing is not prohibited or inadvisable for reasons of safety

provision of information about site facilities for example, signage, litter collection, site access, car parks, lifeguards, changing facilities

confirmation from an appropriate body (such as a Council) that it is willing to accept the responsibilities as the bathing water operator

Once the Department is satisfied that the criteria have been met, it shall seek to verify the initial usage data by conducting its own survey at the candidate site during the course of the next bathing season. Should this be verified, and the other criteria continue to be met, the Department would then undertake a public consultation with a recommendation that the candidate site be formally identified as a bathing water.

Any representations, comments or queries in respect of the nomination and identification process should be directed to Marine.InfoRequests@daera-ni.gov.uk.