Plans to upgrade the sewer network which are designed to protect against foul water flooding could be given the go-ahead next week.
Members of South Lakeland local area planning committee for Westmorland and Furness Council are recommended to approve plans from United Utilities to construct a below ground pumping station and an above ground kiosk on land to the south east of Carling Hill in Burneside.
Plans also involve constructing a new access road and the wider project includes installing a larger diameter sewer to replace the existing pipeline. The proposed sewer will have a diameter of 300mm whereas the current one has a diameter of 150mm.
The wider project would also upgrade 820m of the sewage network from Bridge Street down Steels Row and Burneside Road. The sewer would then connect with the proposed underground pumping station in Carling Hill Field.
In June the committee voted to consider the application at a future meeting once they had more information on other sites considered by United Utilities and on the future-proofing of the proposals.
United Utilities said alternative options previously considered and discounted were not technically or operationally feasible.
A report prepared by planning officers for the committee says: “Officers are satisfied that the applicant has demonstrated sound reasons as to why they consider that the proposal cannot be located outside of the green gap and that their scheme would provide sufficient capacity to accommodate further future development beyond currently allocated development sites within Burneside.”
Richard Hines, director of a wastewater management consultancy, former lead hydrologist at United Utilities and a local resident told the committee in June he is astonished at the design’s incompatibility with the selected site.
Mr Hines added: “I can categorically assure you that this development can be located outside the Green Gap whilst still meeting all the operational and commercial needs of a water company.”
A United Utilities representative previously told the committee there has been extensive work looking for a solution in Burneside.
He said: “There’s been over 10 other sites and solutions looked into and some of them don’t work so they wouldn’t alleviate the flooding problem.
“We feel we’ve done a heck of a lot of work over the years to address the other sites that were set out in optioneering.”
The committee previously heard that the proposed scheme is designed to serve 1,818 people while the current scheme serves 1,262 people.
Mr Schofield, a senior project engineer, at United Utilities said: “As I understand it that new pumping station will take into account that population growth.”
Planning documents said during periods of heavy rainfall, the capacity of the existing mains network sewer was exceeded causing localised sewer flooding.
United Utilities added: “This localised sewer flooding affects roads near to homes and is detrimental to the amenity of residents within the village of Burneside.
“During flood events there is also potential for effluent to flow into the River Kent.”
According to plans the proposed pumping station would provide greater storage capacity than the existing Carlingdale Network Pumping Station.
Members of South Lakeland local area planning committee will discuss the application on December 3 at Kendal Town Hall.
