Maria Miller has highlighted Thames Water’s plans to expand the sewage works at Chineham and to bring in waste from areas as far afield as Guildford for further treatment, adding at least 14 additional lorry movements a day to the already chronic traffic congestion on the A33 and wider road network. Thames Water has applied to Hampshire County Council for planning permission to build an “Enhanced Sludge Digestion Scheme” on its current sewage treatment site on the A33 at Chineham. The proposal would see sewage sludge brought in by road from Guildford, Fleet, Farnham and Newbury.
Maria has been questioning Thames Water’s plans for the plant for more than two years now, since the proposals first appeared in their Business Plan for 2015-2020.
She said: “I want to make sure that local residents are fully aware of these plans to significantly expand the current sewage works and of the proposal to increase lorry traffic on local roads. With hundreds of houses due to be built near the sewage works, the congestion on our roads is only going to get worse.”
“I understand that many other sewage works in the area were ruled out from expansion because of complaints about existing levels of odour. This was not considered a factor for Basingstoke as there are currently relatively few homes in the immediate vicinity of the works. However, the sites identified for housing in the Local Plan will see many hundreds of new homes being built very close to the sewage works, and over time the odour problem seems likely to become a very real issue for residents.”
“I would urge any residents who might be affected by the proposals to look at Thames Water’s application and consider commenting on the planning application. The public consultation closes on Friday 23 October.”
Further details are available to view at the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council offices, or on the Hampshire County Council’s Strategic Planning website (application number 15/03425/CMA) or by following this link: http://www3.hants.gov.uk/mineralsandwaste/application-details.htm?id=16769