Sewer threat to Furnivall Gardens grows

by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
23/09/2008

THE chances of a 30-metre crater blighting the borough’s beautiful Furnivall Gardens have increased after Thames Water admitted it wants to test the ground.

Two boreholes would be drilled at the riverside park in Hammersmith as exploratory work, and the massive vertical shaft could eventually follow to help with the construction of the £2.5billion ‘super sewer’ project.

This shaft would give access to a tunnel under the Thames for giant drilling machines, but the eight years of construction would shatter the beauty spot and more than one million tonnes of soil would need to be excavated, much of which will be transported by road on the A4.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council has launched a major campaign against the Government-backed scheme, saying that the cost to residents, loss of open space, disruption to traffic on the A4 and environmental impact of the work outweighs any benefit.

The exploratory work would last one or two days and in itself have little effect on users of the open space. Thames Water has the power to do the testing under the Water Industry Act 1991.

Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh, H&F Council leader, said: “Residents can be assured we will be doing everything in our power to prevent this scheme from happening. Furnivall Gardensis one of the borough’s most treasured open spaces and we aren’t going to just allow Thames Water to turn it into a building site.

“This would be a disaster for the borough, a disaster for residents who would have to put up with eight years of construction misery and a disaster for all Thames Water customers who would foot the bill. That’s predicted to be at least £120 per head, probably more.”

The council’s stance is backed by the Consumer Council for Water, which is questioning whether the cost of the sewer is a ‘price too high’. David Bland, chairman of CCWater Thames, said: “Significant cost overruns typify such large construction projects.

“Large-scale projects such as Crossrail and the Olympic Park will be sucking in labour, materials and equipment at the same time. As a result of the tunnel and other investment – for example to secure supplies against drought – water charges for Thames Water customers may increase by 50 per cent in real terms within 10 years.”

The Government has asked Thames Water to build the giant sewer, which would stretch 18 miles from Hammersmith to Beckton, to meet EU regulations on pollution. The giant underground storage tank would prevent sewage seeping into the Thamesduring storm weather.

But the scheme would do little to alleviate the more frequent flooding of houses and businesses in the borough.

H&F Council is calling for other options to be considered, including the long-term separation of surface water and foul sewage. Cllr Greenhalgh said: “We do not want sewage seeping into the Thames, but this cannot be the answer. What about the sewage that enters people’s homes and business premises? What is being done to tackle that more serious problem? This is the wrong scheme with the wrong price tag, addressing the wrong issue.”

A planning application for the scheme is expected in early 2011, by which time local authorities may have lost planning control over major strategic infrastructure works in their area if a current Planning Bill is approved by Parliament. Work could start in 2012 with a completion date of 2020.

To back the council’s campaign sign our online petition (opens new window).