TOWER HAMLETS

January 2012

Tunnel News
Welcome to the first issue of Tunnel News a regular update about events, meetings and news for sites in your area.

Public meeting on 12 January 2012 Extra drop-in dates announced Tower Hamlets locals have their say Sites at King Edward Memorial Park Foreshore and Bekesbourne Street discussed at drop-ins

Chance for Tower Hamlets residents to have their say

encouraging everyone with an interest in the proposed works to attend. We have also scheduled extra drop-in sessions on 18-20 January, 2-8pm at John Orwell Sports Centre, Tench Street, Wapping, E1W 2QD. Weve listened to feedback and changed the plans put forward at the first phase of consultation. The changes include a a smaller construction site a revised access road much smaller ventilation structures. Work is required at this location to intercept the combined sewer overflow (CSO) directly underneath the park, which discharges 780,000 tonnes of

...I am keen for everyone with concerns to be able to have their say and their questions heard...
Jim Fitzpatrick, MP for Poplar and Limehouse

untreated sewage into the river in an average year, after as little as 2mm of rainfall. Our second phase of consultation closes on 10 February 2012 at 5pm. Complete the feedback form available at public exhibitions or online at www.thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk. Email: thames.tunnel@thameswater. co.uk Write to: Thames Tunnel Consultation, Thames Water Utilities, Freepost SCE 9923, PO BOX 522, Swindon SN2 8LA

Local MP for Poplar and Limehouse Jim Fitzpatrick

Local residents will have their chance to ask questions and hear about our proposed plans at King Edward Memorial Park Foreshore (which includes temporary use of part of the park as a works area and limited permanent works within the park, such as landscaping and a new access road) at a public meeting chaired by local MP Jim Fitzpatrick. The meeting will be held on Thursday 12 January, 7.30pm at St Pauls Shadwell, 302 The Highway, E1W 3DH. Following the drop-in sessions held over three days in November 2011, the meeting will provide another opportunity for local people to have their say. We are

Senior Project Manager Malcolm Orford talks to residents at the November drop-in sessions in Glamis Hall

Bekesbourne Street drop-ins

On 5-7 December 2011 we held dropin sessions at John Scurr Community Centre in Limehouse so that local people could hear more about our plans at Bekesbourne Street. The proposed works at this site would not involve a connection to the main tunnel as we can make improvements to the existing sewerage system to control the storm flows from Holloway Storm Relief CSO.
Commercial Road

The works would take approximately seven months. For more information and to read the site information paper for Bekesbourne Street visit ourIntroduction website www.thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk.Comm
Draft limit of land to be acquired or used Existing sewer Phase one consultation preferred site Butcher Row

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Existing se

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Limehouse Station Ratcliffe Lane

Phase one consultati site Butc

Bekesbourne Street

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At our second stage of public Bekesbourne Street TOWER HAMLETS consultation, we are proposing to use Limehouse Station a small site at Bekesbourne Street to make the necessary improvements Lane to the Ratcliffe system and this was chosen due to its WER HAMLETS location above the local CSO.
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Holloway Storm Relief CSO

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Glamis Hall exhibitions

St Jamess Gardens CSO discharge to River Thames approximately 100m to the south

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Limehouse Basin

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St Jamess Gardens

CSO discharge to River Thames approximately 100m to the south

Over 250 people attended drop-in sessions held at Glamis Hall in Bekesbourne Street and Butcher Row location plan Cable Street, in November 2011 where they spoke to members of the Thames Tunnel team who were on hand to answer questions. There were a variety of specialists from the project team, including engineers, planners and environmentalists, who talked residents through the updated plans. Thames Waters External Affairs and Sustainability Director Richard Aylard took questions from 3 locals about the proposed plans and also the recent report by Lord Selbournes Thames Tunnel Commission, which was funded in part by Tower Hamlets Council. Richard explained that this report had failed to identify any workable alternative to the Thames Tunnel, which would cost-effectively address the problem of sewage discharged into the River Thames within the timescale set by the Government and to the standard required by the Environment Agency.

Figure 1A: Bekesbourne Street and Butcher Row location plan

Aerial view of the completed works

Figure 3E: Aerial view of the completed works

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Future use
Electrical and control kiosk against existing brick wall

Football pitch access

Relocated childrens play area

Memorial Park benches relocated on line with Memorial

Relocated bandstand

The Highway

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Glamis Road

Bowling green Football pitch Tennis courts New North East Storm Relief CSO outlet

The Commissions suggestion of a shorter tunnel from Hammersmith to Battersea, in conjunction with sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS), would leave 19 of the 34 most polluting CSOs unchecked. This includes the North East Storm Relief CSO located directly underneath King Edward Memorial Park. On 18-20 January, there will be additional drop-in sessions for Tower Hamlets residents, as well as exhibitions at City Hall for people from all parts of London and further afield to see our proposals and give their feedback.

Thames Path widened and improved. Provides maintenance access to shaft N Bike stands New gated entrance to park and Thames path Activity/ fitness zone Seating area Ventilation columns Grassed area around relocated bandstand

Layout of of site once construction works complete works complete Figure 3D: Layout site once construction
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If you would like to know more about our consultation or to give feedback go to: www.thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk
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