Work starts in preparation for Super Sewer

'Hands off Furnival Gardens' says council

Exploratory work is to be carried out by Thames Water in Furnival Gardens in preparation for a possible £2.5billion super-sewer running under the Thames.

If the 100ft entrance to the sewer is placed in the gardens, the area will become a giant construction site for eight years, as one million tonnes of soil are excavated and taken away by road on the A4.

Thames Water's proposals have been met with disapproval by residents, who say Furnival Gardens is a much-needed oasis of green in Hammersmith.

The shaft is needed so that giant drilling machines can have access to a tunnel under the Thames, in order to build the 18 mile long sewage tunnel.

Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh, Hammersmith and Fulham’s Council leader, said that the council were against the plans.

He said: “Residents can be assured we will be doing everything in our power to prevent this scheme from happening. Furnival Gardens is 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.”

Thames Water are building the giant sewer, which would stretch 18 miles from Hammersmith to Beckton, in order to prevent sewage seeping into the Thames during storm weather.

September 25, 2008