Thames Water's examples don't hold water
Thames Water have put information on their website about ‘similar’ sewage storage tank schemes to the one proposed for Daly Way Green. Investigation of the six examples shows just how different they are.
(click on images for a closer look)
Daly Way, Aylesbury: just as a reminder, this is what Thames Water plan for Daly Way Green – the 60-ft deep sewage storage tank would be located in one of two possible locations, in the last remaining public green space in the area, surrounded on three sides by houses.
Click here to see the list of examples from Thames Water – see below for more details:
1. Croft Road, Oxford: this scheme is in a very large open space which is vastly bigger than Daly Way Green.
2. Maltfield Road, Oxford: this is similar to the Croft Road scheme – a very large open space where the scheme will have much less impact on local residents compared to Daly Way Green.
3. Enbourne Road, Newbury: this scheme is in the corner of a green space that’s large enough for three football pitches (Daly Way Green is barely one-third of a football pitch). It is completely fenced off and bears no relation to Daly Way Green.
4. Tilehurst, Reading: this scheme appears to still be at the planning stages, judging by local press reports from December 2007 (click here). The Halcrow engineer is John Atkins, also responsible for the Daly Way Green scheme, who is quoted as saying “the proposed location of the tank would need to be far enough away from homes to prevent subsidence and for insurance reasons”. At Daly Way Green, neither Thames Water nor Halcrow are even willing to acknowledge a significant subsidence risk.
5. Wanborough Road, Swindon: this scheme appears to be part of a small sewage treatment works, and so bears no relation to Daly Way Green.
6. Lyon Way, Frimley: this scheme appears to be part of an office/business park – so again it bears absolutely no relation to the densely-populated residential area around Daly Way Green.
The six example schemes from Thames Water are obviously designed to deal with local flooding problems – but the locations can’t be compared to Daly Way Green. None of these examples shows such major construction in such a small residential area – and none of them will have such a major impact on local amenity space.
One example scheme that Thames Water fail to mention is in Orpington, Kent. A proposed scheme close to local houses was rejected by Bromley Council in favour of a more remote scheme (click here) because “the proposed works would have a seriously detrimental impact on the amenities of the occupiers of nearby residential properties, by reason of noise and general disturbance and loss of outlook”. This is exactly the problem at Daly Way Green.
We call on Thames Water to see sense and withdraw the Daly Way Green scheme once and for all, and we call on AVDC to follow the example of Bromley Council and reject Thames Water’s plans.
5 comments:
An interesting comment by John Atkins with regard to the proposed scheme at Tilehurst, Reading. The proposed site is not as close to residential houses as Daly Way Green and they may be at risk of subsidence. What about Daly Way - do we not have the same risks? Do we not deserve the same consideration?
We should call upon our local Council in fighting this scheme - Bromley Council stood up to Thames Water and fought off their scheme because of the seriously detrimental impact it would have had on nearby residential properties by reason of noise and general disturbance and loss of outlook. Our Community deserves the same!
The Daly Way scheme is significantly closer to housing than Tilehurst, so if there is a problem with Tilehurst and subsidence then there is a bigger problem with Daly Way.
Good on Bromley Borough Council, they at least are prepared to implement their own policies and at the same time look after their residents.
So come on AVDC, do the right thing and back your residents. It is the least they deserve.
Thames Water - THINK AGAIN!!!
Again and again, Thames Water are failing to justify such a massive construction project in such an inappropriate location.
AVDC - follow the example of the council in Bromley, and put residents' concerns FIRST.
Intersting, comments by Atkins of Halcrow, and Bromley council, it exactly mirrors what we have been saying.
The scale and location of proposed TWU scheme is not acceptable in the environment proposed.
I am not prepared to have such major construction 15 meters from my front door,restricted access to my home, loose green space facility (which was part of my original house purchase from Barratt) for 1-2 years, put up with noise,mess and polution of such a large scheme so close to my home, and risk subsidence damage to my home, all on the say so of a privately held monopoly supplier company who has at best a chequered record in reliability, maintenance and customer support.
They will be violating my rights to the peaceful enjoyment of my property and I trust AVDC will take note if any such planning application is forthcoming.
I visited the flood alleviation scheme Thames Water have installed in Maltfield Road, Oxford to see for myself and as a result I can confirm there is no comparison to the Daly Way scheme:
1) The closest property is a building owned by the council & is used as a day centre.
2) Houses don't over look the installation,
3) The closest house is further away from it than the properties in Daly Way,
4) The green is in Maltfield Road is huge.
I can assure you the impact of the Maltfield Road scheme bears no resembles to the impact it will have if it goes ahead in Daly Way.
Thames Water are not comparing like with like.
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