Save Daly Way Green!

Thames Water: still no news at Daly Way Green

2008-08-24T16:57:00.002+01:00

Almost 6 months after their March drop-in session to unveil their latest plans for Daly Way Green, Thames Water are still very quiet. There has been no contact with local residents, who continue to be left in limbo.

In the meantime, local residents continue their efforts to get Daly Way Green registered as a 'town green'. Following legal advice and support from the Open Spaces Society (click here), residents will shortly be submitting a response to AVDC’s objection to the town green application.

More news will be posted here as soon as it is available.

AVDC and BCC: not playing by the rules

2008-07-16T20:47:00.011+01:00

Aylesbury Vale District Council have produced a 256-page legal submission to object to the application by local residents to register Daly Way Green as a ‘town green’. In a new twist, it has emerged that AVDC’s submission was A WEEK LATE.

The closing date for objections made to Bucks County Council was 1 July 2008 – click the images below to see the public notice (posted at Daly Way Green) and the newspaper notice (published in the Bucks Herald). The AVDC objection paperwork is clearly dated 8 July 2008 (click image for a closer look). No notification of any deadline extension was given to residents – so it is reasonable to assume the 1 July deadline should stand.

Residents formally requested that Bucks County Council should disregard the AVDC objection because late submission made it invalid. BCC have immediately rejected this request on the basis that they are willing to accept objections - even after the deadline!

Local residents are left feeling angry and bemused – not only has the District Council defied common sense by objecting to the protection of a popular local amenity space, but now the County Council seems to be bending the rules. In the meantime, Thames Water remain very quiet – but the campaign to Save Daly Way Green continues.

AVDC moves to block ‘town green’ application at Daly Way

2008-07-13T20:10:00.007+01:00

Local residents made an application to Buckinghamshire County Council earlier this year to register Daly Way Green as a ‘town green’, and so help to protect it from future development. Now, in an unexpected move, Aylesbury Vale District Council have themselves submitted the only objection to the application.

AVDC sought independent expert legal advice to identify legal technicalities that could force the rejection of the town green application. At a time when Aylesbury is full of construction sites, it is very surprising that our own local authority seeks to block protection of the one remaining green space in the Cumberland Park area.

For over a year, AVDC have failed to respond to requests by local residents to voluntarily register Daly Way Green as a town green, claiming that new recent legislation meant current legal advice was hard to obtain – although they have now managed to obtain detailed legal advice in just over a month in time to object to the residents’ application. It is now likely that the application will be heard by a Bucks County Council committee later in the year.

In the meantime, local residents will seek independent advice and continue working to protect this important local amenity space.

More alternatives for Thames Water

2008-06-15T20:30:00.005+01:00

While we await Thames Water’s next moves, it’s worth recalling further alternative proposals made to Thames Water by local residents in recent months.

1. Tring Road solution

Expert opinion has demonstrated that it is possible to carry out the ‘online’ solution to fully upgrade the Tring Road sewer – without closing the Tring Road for a long period. This illustration shows how the work could be done with single-lane traffic, controlled by lights (click for a larger version). This would mean no work would be needed at Daly Way Green.
Even with the Daly Way Green solution, extensive roadworks will be needed at the Tring Road/Limes Avenue junction and along Limes Avenue. Installing the full solution under the Tring Road would just extend these roadworks by a few weeks.

2. Broughton Lane solution

An alternative/additional solution to the Tring Road work is to install a new sewer along the Tring Road, to link to the high-capacity sewer at Broughton Lane/Richmond Road (tunnelling techniques could be used to minimise disruption). This new link sewer could carry excess water during flood conditions to discharge safely (see image below - click for a larger version). Thames Water have already indicated this solution would theoretically solve the alleged problem, and we await their feedback on practical implementation.

Thames Water: news still awaited

2008-06-04T19:46:00.003+01:00

We're still waiting for news from Thames Water on their next steps with plans for Daly Way Green.

More information will be posted here as soon as it becomes available.

Bank Holiday Monday: BBQ on the Green, 3pm-5pm POSTPONED

2008-05-18T20:00:00.009+01:00

Just like last time - bring your own food, drink and crockery.

There will be a couple of BBQs to cook the food.

Hope you can make it – see you there!

POSTPONED UNTIL IT'S SUNNIER!

You don't know what you've got till it's gone ...

2008-04-20T17:54:00.005+01:00

This week marks 18 months since Thames Water first applied for planning permission for their sewage storage tank at Daly Way Green.

With a new Thames Water application expected soon, now is a good time to remind ourselves of what we're campaigning for ...

click video to play

Subsidence risk: the impact of ‘dewatering’

2008-04-11T20:37:00.004+01:00

As part of their proposals for Daly Way Green, Thames Water will need to ‘dewater’ the subsoil where they intend to construct their sewerage shaft. What they don’t make clear is that the area affected by dewatering (known as the ‘distance of influence’) extends far beyond the perimeter of their proposed shaft.

In a written response to one of our questions, Thames Water said they have done an analysis out to a staggering 320 metres - what they call the possible ‘distance of influence’ around Daly Way Green for this dewatering (the area marked in red on the map - click for larger version).

As the word implies, ‘dewatering’ involves removing water from the subsoil, and as we know clay soil shrinks when water is removed from it. Thames Water claim that “settlement estimates were rated as negligible for buildings within the distance of influence”.

Negligible! The point is that dewatering to the proposed depth and over a prolonged period of time in a densely built-up area will have an impact on the subsoil, especially in clay-based subsoil where shrinkage can severely damage foundations.

We must oppose this dreadful scheme; we urge AVDC to reject it, and we urge Thames Water, AVDC, and BCC to work constructively together to upgrade the sewer in the Tring Road.
If you haven’t already done so, please sign the petition - click here.

Sources:
Thames Water
Control of groundwater for temporary works. S. H. Somerville CEng FICE FGS

Snow place for a sewage tank …

2008-04-06T10:44:00.005+01:00

Yet again, today’s snow shows the value of local amenity spaces like Daly Way Green. Residents were out early this morning, making the most of it!

There’s certainly plenty of support for the campaign against Thames Water’s plans …

Thames Water's examples don't hold water

2008-04-05T15:47:00.018+01:00

Thames Water have put information on their website about ‘similar’ sewage storage tank schemes to the one proposed for Daly Way Green. Investigation of the six examples shows just how different they are.

(click on images for a closer look)

Daly Way, Aylesbury: just as a reminder, this is what Thames Water plan for Daly Way Green – the 60-ft deep sewage storage tank would be located in one of two possible locations, in the last remaining public green space in the area, surrounded on three sides by houses.

Click here to see the list of examples from Thames Water – see below for more details:

1. Croft Road, Oxford: this scheme is in a very large open space which is vastly bigger than Daly Way Green.

2. Maltfield Road, Oxford: this is similar to the Croft Road scheme – a very large open space where the scheme will have much less impact on local residents compared to Daly Way Green.

3. Enbourne Road, Newbury: this scheme is in the corner of a green space that’s large enough for three football pitches (Daly Way Green is barely one-third of a football pitch). It is completely fenced off and bears no relation to Daly Way Green.

4. Tilehurst, Reading: this scheme appears to still be at the planning stages, judging by local press reports from December 2007 (click here). The Halcrow engineer is John Atkins, also responsible for the Daly Way Green scheme, who is quoted as saying “the proposed location of the tank would need to be far enough away from homes to prevent subsidence and for insurance reasons”. At Daly Way Green, neither Thames Water nor Halcrow are even willing to acknowledge a significant subsidence risk.

5. Wanborough Road, Swindon: this scheme appears to be part of a small sewage treatment works, and so bears no relation to Daly Way Green.

6. Lyon Way, Frimley: this scheme appears to be part of an office/business park – so again it bears absolutely no relation to the densely-populated residential area around Daly Way Green.

The six example schemes from Thames Water are obviously designed to deal with local flooding problems – but the locations can’t be compared to Daly Way Green. None of these examples shows such major construction in such a small residential area – and none of them will have such a major impact on local amenity space.

One example scheme that Thames Water fail to mention is in Orpington, Kent. A proposed scheme close to local houses was rejected by Bromley Council in favour of a more remote scheme (click here) because “the proposed works would have a seriously detrimental impact on the amenities of the occupiers of nearby residential properties, by reason of noise and general disturbance and loss of outlook”. This is exactly the problem at Daly Way Green.

We call on Thames Water to see sense and withdraw the Daly Way Green scheme once and for all, and we call on AVDC to follow the example of Bromley Council and reject Thames Water’s plans.

Local residents launch online petition

2008-03-26T20:02:00.002Z

Local residents have launched an online petition as a focus of support for the campaign to Save Daly Way Green.

The petition calls on Thames Water to work closely with Aylesbury Vale District Council and Bucks County Council to come up with a more appropriate long-term solution to the alleged local flooding problem.

In addition, the petition calls on Aylesbury Vale District Council to voluntarily register the green as a ‘Town Green’, to protect this valuable space from development and preserve it for future generations.

Please click here to sign the petition, or click the link on the right.

Easter eggs-travaganza!

2008-03-24T16:46:00.007Z

Local residents braved the chilly Easter weather for today's Daly Way Green Easter-egg hunt. After lots of hunting, there was lots of chocolate to be eaten - and no shortage of volunteers!

Another great example of the value of our local green space - and another good reason for Thames Water to keep their hands off it!

Eggs-press your community spirit!

2008-03-20T21:23:00.002Z

Come along to an Easter Egg Hunt, on Daly Way Green this Easter Monday – 24th March, at 3pm.

Everyone is welcome. It would be great to show Thames Water how they have inadvertently brought a community closer together by proposing their awful scheme. Please bring along your friends, family, neighbours and visitors.

There will be lots of eggs hidden around the green for children of all ages to come and find, plus the chance to chat to neighbours and friends on our green.

It will still go ahead, even if it is wet (what’s a bit of rain, when chocolate is on offer) so just bring your wellies and brollies!

It’s more than a game

2008-03-19T19:57:00.002Z

The photo below shows a football game on Daly Way Green between two local youth teams as they battled out a close-fought contest last weekend.

It was a very different story last Friday night when the visitors, Thames Water, put up yet another dismal display. The performance was wholly unconvincing in front of what has to be said was a passionate home crowd, and their one supporter who bothered to turn up left before the final whistle.

It was the same story in the corresponding fixture last season when they were soundly thrashed by the local side in December 2006. As if that beating wasn’t bad enough, their real low point came at their next away fixture where they were humiliated by a good AVDC Planning Committee side and sent packing with their tails between their legs.

Thames Water’s maintenance record: the true story

2008-03-18T19:52:00.006Z

Thames Water’s appalling track record for maintenance is well known. The pictures below show the balancing pond at Wheeler Close, as seen here. It has been so poorly looked after by Thames Water Operations that an almost permanent pond has been created. It is now so attractive to wildlife that these two ducks have taken up residence. What a nice runway for taking off!

They are perching up to their waists on the top of the grid through which the water should have been pumped out into the nearby lower stream. When the photo was taken, the stream was at a very low level of flow. Time and again over many years Thames Water have been told of this problem and they still do not address it effectively.

If Thames Water cannot get its act together to ensure this simple balancing pond works as intended, how can anyone have any confidence that proper maintenance of any sewage storage tank would take place – or that failures would be dealt with quickly and safely? Poor maintenance could have disastrous results for all local residents - including those it's meant to help.

Construction disruption: the reality

2008-03-17T20:26:00.008Z

In all the details of their proposals for Daly Way Green, Thames Water have been keen to gloss over one of the most horrific details of all – just what would happen to this small residential area during construction?

The amateur mockup below, based on Thames Water’s own plans, tells its own story. The entire green would become a massive construction site, and would also be a storage compound for all the related work on the Tring Road and Limes Avenue.

(click image for a closer look)

The entrance to Daly Way would be closed for the duration of the work (10-12 months) - Thames Water claim that ‘access would be maintained’ but cannot specify how, when or for whom (residents? emergency vehicles? visitors? bin lorries? deliveries?). At least 20 lorries per day would thunder along narrow residential streets (that’s 40 lorry-journeys – once in, once out) – click

here for more details. Buttermere and Wheeler Close could also be opened up to the Tring Road for lorry access.

While all this is going on, the nearest available green space is over half a mile away – at Broughton park. Getting there involves crossing at least two busy main roads – hardly a suitable alternative for young children.

(click image for a closer look)

Thames Water simply have not thought this through – we call on them to listen closely to local residents, and not just pay lip-service to their ‘consultation’ process. Amongst all of the detail and arguments, the point is a very simple one: THIS HUGE SCHEME IS COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE IN A SMALL RESIDENTIAL AREA.

Thames Water drop-in session: more of the same

2008-03-14T23:39:00.004Z

Thames Water's drop-in session and so-called 'public consultation' on Friday 14 March was as disappointing as expected. There was an impressive turnout from local residents, which shows the strength of feeling against this scheme.

There is a clear and arrogant assumption from Thames Water that their scheme for Daly Way Green will go ahead - they aren't interested in what local residents have to say, and have little concern about just how grotesquely inappropriate this scheme is, right in the middle of a residential area.

The message to Thames Water is clear: the fight goes on!

Local children have their say

2008-03-13T20:06:00.013Z

In the end, the campaign against Thames Water's wreckless plans are all about protecting our families against unnecessary risk and danger, and preserving our local green space for future generations.

These pictures by local children speak for themselves.

Thames Water - shame on you.

(click image for a closer look)

Short-term nightmare – long-term danger

2008-03-12T22:04:00.006Z

It’s very clear that Thames Water’s proposals for Daly Way Green will destroy a much-loved local amenity space, and cause huge noise, mess and danger for hundreds of local residents, schoolchildren and visitors. But what could happen in the longer term?

SUBSIDENCE RISK: Thames Water’s hole in the ground will be 60 feet deep, and the construction involves
‘dewatering’ – sucking all the water out of the soil using pumps, to stop the excavation filling with water. Everyone knows that too little water in the ground can undermine property foundations and cause subsidence.

POOR MAINTENANCE: Thames Water have a terrible track-record for maintenance, e.g. pipe leakage. Very close to home, we have a very good example of how bad Thames Water really are – at the end of Wheeler Close, near the Tring Road, Thames Water installed a ‘balancing pond’ in the early 1990s, which is designed to fill with excess rainfall and then empty via pumps. As this picture (taken today) shows – the pumps don’t work, and the pond routinely over-fills. This has been reported to Thames Water on many occasions – but still they take no action. This is a small and simple installation compared to the Daly Way Green scheme – but they still can’t get it right. Pump failure of the new scheme means sewage flowing in the streets – it’s as simple as that.

EXPLOSION RISK: a large sewage storage shaft has the potential to fill with lethal methane gas, produced in the sewer network and natural underground sources. To then place electrical equipment and pumps inside the shaft which could trigger an explosion is madness to the extreme. Thames Water would of course say there is no risk of this, but methane explosions have happened before: in the Abbeystead Disaster of 1984, 16 people were killed in an explosion at a water pumping station (click here and here for details); in the Loscoe Explosion of 1986, a bungalow was destroyed by a methane explosion from a landfill site (click here for details of this and other methane explosion disasters). The fact that Thames Water think this is an acceptable development in a densely-packed residential area beggars belief.

Thames Water will of course tell us that all of these risks are very low, that we have nothing to worry about, and that they are thinking of the best interests of residents and the local community. The harsh truth is that THEY won’t be here in years to come to deal with the consequences of their outrageous plans – WE WILL.

MADNESS - 20 lorries a day?!

2008-03-11T20:20:00.008Z

If AVDC approve the proposal from Thames Water, at least 20 lorries a day will be thundering through the narrow, winding residential streets leading to Daly Way Green.

The insane proposal from Thames Water is an obvious risk to the safety of parents and children. These photos were taken today on Penrith Way during the afternoon school run.

See the plans for yourself at Thames Water’s open evening at St. Joseph’s Infant School, Hazell Avenue, on Friday 14th March 4pm-8pm.

Please contact your local councillors and urge them to oppose this ludicrous scheme (click names below):

Aylesbury Vale District Council/Aylesbury Town Council: Alan Sherwell, Penni Thorne, Jenny Bloom, Mark Willis
Bucks County Council: Chester Jones

Thames Water: even more economical with the truth

2008-03-07T18:02:00.008Z

Thames Water have updated their website entry about the proposed Tring Road flood alleviation scheme at Daly Way Green. They now say their scheme follows ‘…continued sewer flooding to a number of properties in Tring Road, Aylesbury’.

Once again, Thames Water are very economical with the truth. The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘continued’ as ‘persist in an activity or process’ – i.e. unbroken, uninterrupted, always happening, very frequent, non-stop and without cessation – and yet we have seen no evidence of any flooding since 2003. Almost five years have passed since any flooding occurred. In particular, Thames Water have provided no evidence of flooding during the record rainfall on 20th July 2007 - yet they imply that there is flooding almost every time it rains.

Overall, local rainfall in July 2007 was three times as much as normal - but still no local flooding. Click here and here for more information.

The Thames Water proposal in Daly Way Green is designed to cope with a severe ‘1 in 15 years’ rainfall event. The 20th July 2007 storm has been classed as an extreme ‘1 in 100’ year event – but even then there was no local flooding. This clearly makes a complete mockery of Thames Water’s plans for Daly Way Green.

The real reason for the flooding back in 2003 is that the sewers had not been maintained properly. Since the sewers were jetted out and cleaned, no backup due to restricted flows has occurred – this is why there has been no flooding. Instead of the grotesquely inappropriate Daly Way Green scheme in the middle of a residential area, the simple solution is for Thames Water to adequately maintain its sewers. They have failed to do this in the past, but it is in fact a legal requirement under the Water Industry Act.

We challenge Thames Water to rethink their proposals and do the right thing.

Thames Water: economical with the truth

2008-03-03T19:16:00.007Z

Thames Water have finally written to local residents regarding their new plans to destroy Daly Way Green. This is the first direct contact from Thames Water for over 15 months.

(click letter to view)

Leaving aside the fact that Thames Water could not even be bothered to address residents by name (we are their customers, after all), the letter is very economical with the truth. It doesn't mention the 'Ecoblock' hardstanding area that will be left behind when work is complete, and it certainly doesn't mention the huge scale of environmental damage done during construction - including the destruction of the entire green and replacement of grass by hardcore, to enable construction to take place.

But the main thing the letter fails to mention is the sheer scale of what Thames Water plan to do. The shaft they want to create is large enough to fit two large detached houses - one on top of the other.

This is a grossly disproportionate solution, and grossly inappropriate in the middle of a residential area.

Residents speak out

2008-03-01T14:49:00.005Z

Local residents have been speaking out about why it's so important to save Daly Way Green.

Once again, the threat to this hugely valuable local green space is causing very strong feelings. Thames Water clearly have a fight on their hands.

click the video to play

Thames Water's site plans revealed

2008-02-29T20:53:00.014Z

Thames Water have revealed two alternative site plans for their proposed Daly Way Green scheme, on their website (click here and see below).

The site plans show only one small change to the original scheme from 2006 - a slightly smaller hardstanding area above the huge sewage storage tank. Other than that, the proposal is exactly the same - the tank is the same size (about 40-50 feet across, and at least 60 feet deep), and it will still require large amounts of pipework fed through from the Tring Road via Buttermere, Smith Close, Wheeler Close and Daly Way.

Please make sure you attend the Thames Water drop-in session at St Joseph’s Infant School on Friday 14th March, 4pm-8pm, to show your opposition to this horrendous scheme.

(click on images for a closer look)

And finally: a reminder of what will really happen if this goes ahead (click here for details).

Thames Water: more of the same

2008-02-26T22:29:00.006Z

Thames Water, along with their engineers Halcrow, have finally published their report into the proposed Daly Way/Tring Road flood alleviation scheme. The new proposal appears to be the same as the original scheme, with only minor changes. The report can be found on the Thames Water website here.

No detailed plans for the new proposal are contained in this report – we assume the plans will be shown at Thames Water’s planned drop-in session at St Joseph’s Infant School on Friday 14 March, 4pm-8pm (not 3.30-8.30pm as previously stated).

For now, the report is very clear that Thames Water’s preferred option is still the destruction of Daly Way Green.

YET AGAIN, there is no clear evidence of the need for the scheme – the report conveniently omits any mention of the extreme rainfall of July 2007, which seems to have caused no flooding in the local area.

YET AGAIN, there is complete disregard for the loss of local amenity space – both the short-term health and safety issues during construction in a residential area, and the long-term risks of hardstanding in the middle of a green space. To claim that ‘the effect on the amenity value will be minimal’ completely ignores the many children who play on the green regularly – children and hard surfaces do not mix.

There are many further points of objection, which local residents will be gathering in preparation to oppose Thames Water’s new plans. Further updates will be posted here as soon as possible – in the meantime, please add your comments using the link below.