H & F Council at War with Government over Super Sewer
As plans for tunnel are referred to national planning body
The Department for Communities and Local Government has announced that plans for the Thames Tunnel, nicknamed the super sewer, are being referred to the Planning Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Directorate.
This organisation decides planning applications of "national importance" in England and Wales.
The Department for Communities and Local Government said in spring this year that it regards the proposed tunnel to be a "nationally significant infrastructure project" when it issued a safeguarding direction to Hammersmith and Fulham Council over the site in Fulham which Thames Water has chosen as its preferred site for building an access shaft to the tunnel.
The direction prevents the council from granting permission for other projects on the site.
Hammersmith and Fulham Council has responded angrily to the announcement, arguing that it is totally inappropriate for the Government to class the Thames Tunnel super-sewer as nationally significant when it only covers a 20 mile long stretch of the River Thames and only Thames Water customers are paying for it.
Councillor Nicholas Botterill, H&F Council Leader says:
"If Londoners are set to endure years of construction misery, as well as footing the colossal bill for the super-sewer, then their democratically elected representatives should consider the planning applications through the usual process.
"Why should 14million Thames Water customers pay £100 a year extra on top of our current water bills and have no say on how this project evolves?
" Alternatively if the super-sewer is deemed to be of national importance then the whole nation should pay for it. The Government cannot have it both ways."
The council's response follows its announcement this week that the owners of the site on Carnwath Road - who include the council itself - have submitted plans to construct 474 new homes on the riverside site, in buildings up to 12 storeys high.
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The council says the plans will be considered by the planning committee later in the year, and if the council was to grant planning permission, the final decision would be referred to the Government.
However, the Government appears to have already made its decision. The safeguarding direction from the DCLG states: " Put simply, the effect of this Direction is that, without specific authorisation from DCLG, your authority cannot grant planning permission on any application in respect of any land to which this Direction relates."
July 6, 2012
