This is my long letter to Letters at the local newspaper; just incase they dont print it, this is what it says; Dear Editor. I asked Thames water the following questions during 2013 about the Rye Meads Sewerage Works, which is contained within the 2009 Water Cycle Study aka the 2009 Water Cycle Stratgey by Hyder Consulting for Thames Water which is WHBC s Infrastructure Document found within its evidence base either now in its own document or part of the Atkins document on the council website; the questions were asked due to a number of admissions by Thames Water regarding the suitability of adding more properties to the already stretched sewerage catchment area; New inlet pumping station; new inlet works; They have not been constructed. A 5th (and possibly 6th) activated sludge stream, to be built on abandoned sludge drying area, to create additional capacity; They have not been constructed. Additional storm and primary settlement tanks; They have not been constructed . Thermal hydrolysis process for treating sludge; They have not been constructed. A new direct connection to the Southern Outfall Sewer at Rye Meads will be required; There is no Southern outfall at Rye Meads (This is needed for development in the catchment to take place and this response states Not just No connection to, but No Actual Sewer for the whole catchment is not built at the plant). It said in the 2009 WCS that It would be better for local authorities to build in other catchment areas. The response to this question was: The comment regarding building in other catchments was targeted towards growth proposals in North Herts District and Stevenage Borough where there was the “option” for draining new development flows to either Anglian Water Sewerage Treatment Works or Thames Water Sewerage Treatment Works. (Based on this response I asked Thames Water have these been carried out, bearing in mind we were then 4-5 years on from this comment being made in 2009). Can you please tell me what percentage of these New Development Flows had drainage diverted to Anglian Water Sewerage Treatments Works & Thames Water Sewerage Treatment Works since 2009, to present. No flows have been diverted. Have the ‘Thames Water Sewers’ been upgraded since this comment in 2009 was made. No How Many Boroughs currently have flows going to Rye Meads WwTw. Some or all of the following Boroughs/Districts drain to Rye Meads Sewerage Treatment Works; Harlow District; Broxbourne Borough; Epping Forest District; Uttlesford District; East Herts District; Stevenage Borough; North Herts District; Welwyn Hatfield District; (Rye Meads was originally built in the 1960s just to accomodate Stevenage & Harlow Districts). I also asked Thames water did the dwellings figure of 6400 homes relate to Welwyn Hatfield District only or the whole of the Rye Meads Catchment Area; Thames Water responded: The 6,400 new dwellings/homes figure refers to the whole of the Rye Meads catchment. These responses from Thames Water proves that no development of Panshanger can take place and not only that but in addition to the 6400 homes for the entire catchment area for housing, this equates to about 800 homes for 67% of WGC from Howlands, thru Panshanger to Rye Meads and the start date was 5 years ago! In an email response to me, on behalf of Eric Pickles MP, dated December 2013, and I quote: At the examination, the council will have to show that the views of the local people have been taken into account, its proposals have been based on evidence. In Summary: In the 2009 WCS document, it is not clear ‘How many dwellings have been built in WGC since 2009’. It is not clear if ‘Welwyn Hatfield Council have a fall back plan, incase they have to build outside the catchment area of Rye Meads’. It is not clear if the ‘Council have followed NPPF Guidelines throughout since Panshanger Aerodrome and Hilly Fields was initially put forward for housing, including previous plans before or part of the core strategy’. It is not clear how the council hope to support housing on panshanger when the 2009 WCS makes it clear that ‘No New Waste Water Treatment Works can be built in or around Welwyn Garden City’. With the Current Outfall in WGC at its Peak and No Catchment Outfall at Rye Meads (which is required for development), it seems impossible to move the current sewerage quantities let alone any additional sewerage quantities to Rye Meads without a Catchment Outfall at Rye Meads Waste water Treatment Works. Panshanger I firmly believe will not meet its quota in the AMP 6 Infrastructure Period and these deadlines will fall outside WHBC Local Plan. Simply put restore the Aerodrome, at least this way we can all enjoy it! Kind Regards, Dean McBride, Panshanger Resident.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 09:32:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015