Council pushed ahead with 10,000 houses plan without asking Anglian Water!
The timing of the latest Water Summit on the 27th June at Leigh-on-Sea Sailing Club meant it was well attended, given the “sell-out” of our Green Belt by Southend Council. A lot of the attendees wanted to know where Anglian Water stood on the issue of ten thousand additional new houses being built.
The answer is coming, but first a few important developments. The current series of Water Summits has been led by the MPs of the town, but in future the summits will be community-led and community-organised with the help of WaterWatchUK.org, who provide the secretariat to enable the summits to flourish in the new form.
David Burton-Sampson MP started with an important announcement impacting not just us locally, but with good news nationally for the environment. Following consultations with DEFRA, the government will ban wet wipes with plastic in them.
Plastic Wet Wipes to Go!
There will be an 18-month transition period to allow manufacturers to change their production processes from the date this becomes law. I was a bit surprised that David didn’t mention that this legislation was first proposed by the last government and was announced on the 22nd April 2024, and was expected to become law in the autumn of 2024. Still, credit where credit is due. David, please note: this government has recognised the importance of the need to remove this prolific and seriously polluting hazard from our rivers and coastal waters.
Holding Anglian Water Accountable
A number of people at the meeting were holding the feet of Anglian Water to the fire regarding the maintenance and repairs to the combined sewer outfalls, particularly the San Remo outfall pipe. This is posing problems for Anglian Water but, frankly, problems come with the territory in all walks of life and my violin gets smaller every time I hear a water company say something is “challenging.” Having said that, Anglian Water deserve plaudits for contributing to these summits and looking to solve the issues.
Thorpe Hall Delays Explained
The commencement of work in Thorpe Hall Avenue is unlikely to start before September. The electrical infrastructure underground in the central reservation is, erm, challenging. Fair enough — water and electrics tend not to mix well.
Pump Usage Blamed, Not Tide
It may be that work in THA will not commence at all, though. A person from Anglian Water admitted that the cause/problem with regard to THA could be the way in which the pumps at the Treatment Works have been used. Not the fault of the tide after all?
Infrastructure Concerns
Turning to building on Bournes Green Chase — and not only there. Developments are proposed in Hadleigh, Hockley, Benfleet and Rochford, and will impact in serious ways on how we live our lives. Were Anglian Water consulted by the Council on providing infrastructure? Are the existing assets of Anglian Water capable of dealing with the extra houses? Does Anglian Water want to adopt and maintain the sewer systems built by the developer (often they have no choice but to do so)? Do they want to spend money on a new treatment works? NO, NO, NO and NO.
Council Ignored Water Provider
So, a key part of the essential infrastructure for ten thousand new houses has not even been discussed with the utility provider. Water companies have no statutory right to be consulted on housing development, so clearly the Council thought it would be simpler not to ask Anglian Water their opinion — just in case it was something the Council didn’t want to hear. A person with a modicum of common sense would, of course, have a discussion with the provider of such an essential aspect of infrastructure. They would — if they were principled, you might say. But what if it is a Council that doesn’t want to consult, doesn’t want to take into account the wishes of the community, doesn’t want to hear why their grandiose scheme will not work? What if it is a Council that wants, as its new best friend, a big shiny loads-of-money housebuilder?
Anglian Water are struggling to cope with the problem of surface water now. The treatment works will not be able to cope with the proposed increase in houses. The risk of more pollution over a wider area is self-evident. Just as the estuary is becoming cleaner, with a greater abundance of marine wildlife, the Council is happy to destroy it for the sake of burnishing their egos.
CHANGE COURSE NOW!
by William Taylor
Local Resident