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New main will secure supplies to Sutton area
STOP PRESS
Sutton & East Surrey Water Company have dropped their plans to take a pipe across the common.
They are now only looking at routes along the A217
On Thursday 24th February, in a presentation to Reigate and Banstead Councillors, the Sutton and East Surrey Water Company announced that their proposed route for the water pipeline from Kingswood to Burgh Heath no longer involves crossing either Banstead or Burgh Heaths.
They will be issuing a detailed press release in the next week or so.
The need for a new strategic main
Sutton and East Surrey Water is working on plans to install a new strategic main to deliver additional water from Mogador to storage reservoirs five kilometres away at Burgh Heath. The main will:
The Sutton and East Surrey Water Company are proposing a new 20 inch pipeline within a 20 meter safeguarded maintenance strip in which all the trees will need to be felled and the land kept permanently open. Their proposal is to go across the centre of the Common and then cross the A217 for a short stretch before returning along Waterhouse Lane and recrossing the dual carriageway.
Sutton and East Surrey Water’s Operations Director, Mike Hegarty, said:
“As the provider of a vital service we must fulfil our statutory duty to build long-term resilience and security of supply into our distribution system to protect the wider interests of the community and our customers.
Currently, our resources are vulnerable in the Sutton area whenever there is prolonged lack of rainfall. At such times the boreholes in the area do not produce enough water to guarantee that demand will always be met.
This new pipeline is not an option. It must be installed as part of our commitments to our regulators and customers.”
Detailed planning is currently taking place to determine the most appropriate route for the 500 mm (20 in) diameter main. As always with a project of this nature, the company is conscious of the need to minimise disruption to traffic, homes, businesses and the environment.
Specialist environmental consultants have been engaged to assist with the process.
One of the preferred outline routes has been identified as running across Banstead Heath and the company is currently discussing this possibility with the Banstead Commons Conservators, who are responsible for the management of the Commons in this area.
An alternative route is also being considered, laying the main down the A217, one of the busiest dual carriageways in the supply area. Running the pipeline down the A217 would restrict the dual carriageway to one lane for the length of the working area and cause significant disruption – particularly during the morning and evening rush hours – for around 12 months.
For these reasons, the company hopes it will be able to come to an agreement with the Conservators to lay the pipe line across Banstead Heath.
Key consultations are taking place with Surrey County Council’s Highways Department, Transport for London, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, Natural England, Surrey Wildlfe Trust, land owners and others.