Frank Banfield super-sewer threat?
by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
27/01/2009
A much loved park, which has just had £1million spent on it, could be dug up by Thames Water diggers according to a local residents’ group.
Hammersmith Embankment Residents Association (HERA) has learned that the newly spruced-up Frank Banfield Park, off Winslow Road in Hammersmith, is targeted for ‘bore-hole’ digging as part of Thames Water’s plans for a super-sewer.
Hammersmith & Fulham Council confirmed this week that Thames Water had approached the local authority to seek permission to dig bore-holes in the popular park.
Doris Banfield, the widow of Frank Banfield, unveiled the revamped park with councillors last October and given the large amount of money spent refurbishing the park and the council’s opposition to the Thames Tunnel - dubbed the super-sewer - officials refused to agree to the works.
In a letter Thames Water asked: ‘As part of the current design works for the Thames Tunnel, we need to carry out a large programme of soil condition investigations... this information will be used for the detailed design of the tunnel and connections. The proposed alignment of the tunnel and/or connections are within the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and we write to you to ask permission to access proposed borehole locations on the attached series of plans.’
The plans then show five locations for possible bore-holes in the borough. Thames Water wants to dig holes in Frank Banfield Park and four other sites - all around Furnival Gardens:
- Close to Verbena Gardens
- On the corner of lower mall and Queen Charlotte Street
- On the corner of Rivercourt Road and the Great West Road (near Marryat Court)
- Just off Chancellors Road close to the pumping station
The revelation would seem to fly in the face of an assurance given by Thames Water’s Richard Aylard at a public meeting before Christmas. Mr Aylard said: “We are not at the stage of selecting individual sites now. We are at the stage of identifying the criteria by which we will select sites.”
However experts say that bore-holes are used to test deep underground and ultimately decide whether an area is suitable for subterranean pipes. Thames Water says that each bore-hole needs an area 15 metres long and 10 metres wide. Each hole can test the ground up to 80 metres below the surface.
HERA Chairman Chris Jones said: “If Thames Water are going to the trouble of asking the council whether they are allowed to test the ground 80 metres beneath Frank Banfield Park, I think it is fair to assume that the park could be a possible construction site in the future.”
The council wrote back to Thames Water on Dec 22 saying that under no circumstances did the company have consent for the bore-hole works. But HERA have now arranged for Thames Water officials to attend its AGM next week in an attempt to find out why, after waiting more than 20 years for refurbishment, Frank Banfield Park is now under threat.
Cllr Paul Bristow, H&F Council Cabinet Member for Residents' Services, said: “I think that we all agree that the new look Frank Banfield Park looks fantastic and truly is something that all residents and park users can be proud of.
“Frank Banfield’s widow - Doris - unveiled the revamped park with me last October and to now blight this wonderful green space with not just a bore-hole but potentially a larger construction site for more than two years does not bear thinking about.
“This council will continue to scrutinise Thames Water’s plans at every stage until we find a way forward that we can all agree on. We have called for an independent inquiry into the alternatives to this costly and damaging super-sewer and Thames Water need to wake up and listen to what residents - who are all Thames Water customers - are saying.”
Thames Water needs to dig a 30-metre-wide crater as entry point for the 18 mile-long super-sewer. Thames Water claim the £2.2billion mega tunnel is needed to prevent some storm water and sewage flooding into the Thames when it rains heavily.
In addition to the starting point for the tunnel - which needs to be wide enough for a giant tunnel boring machine - Thames Water needs six major construction sites in total that will connect sewer outfalls into the new tunnel. Thames Water wants to start building in 2012.
While insisting that Thames Water had made no decision on the location of construction sites a Thames Water spokeswoman did say: “We have targeted the initial phase of the field studies work generally along the indicative route and at locations close to the existing sewer overflow locations. Frank Banfield Park is close to Hammersmith Storm Pumping Station, which is one of the larger overflows to be intercepted.”