Greg Hands, M.P. for Chelsea and Fulham, has spoken out on behalf of local residents against the location of the proposed Super Sewer. During a meeting of local residents, held at Hurlingham & Chelsea School on Thursday evening (30th January), Greg told representatives of the Planning Inspectorate that residents were overwhelmingly opposed to the drilling of the main shaft for the Sewer at Carnwath Road, Fulham. The meeting was attended by almost 200 local people, including Council Leader Nick Botterill and Sands End Ward Councillor Steve Hamilton.
Speaking at the meeting Greg explained to the Planning Inspectors that Carnwath Road is in the heart of a residential area, with 1,200 people living within 200 metres of the site, six schools within 700 metres, and hundreds of businesses within range of the proposed tunnelling operations, where the disruption faced by local residents, schools and businesses would be enormous.
Greg made three main points:
- That this is “no ordinary construction site. The works will last at least seven years, in what could very well be London’s second largest infrastructure project, after Crossrail”.
- That Carnwath Road is in the heart of residential Fulham. Greg told the panel that his constituency is the fourth most-densely populated in Britain, and H&F roads were the second most congested in Britain.
- That a reasonable alternative is available elsewhere. “It’s not right to put it in the middle of a residential area in Inner London, when an are of open land in Outer London could be used.”
Greg urged the Planning Inspectors: “The local community is overwhelmingly hostile to using Carnwath Road in this way. On behalf of a huge number of my constituents, I urge a re-think and the main shaft moved to a place far less disruptive to people and homes”.
For several years, Greg Hands has championed the concerns of local residents over the proposed sewer in general, and against it coming to Carnwath Road in particular. This has included participating in two large public summits and numerous meetings with residents’ groups, as well as successfully lobbying the water regulator Ofwat against rising bills from Thames Water, as a result of the planned project.
The Planning Inspectorate will now consider all of the submissions made. They have also visited the various sites in question. Further news is awaited.