Contact:
Gareth Bennett
Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd
7 St Peter Street
Winchester
SO23 8BW

01962 877414
g.bennett@adamshendry.co.uk

Thames Water Utilities Ltd. (TWUL) appointed Adams Hendry in November 2007 to prepare planning applications to construct a 8.5km sewage storage and transfer tunnel called the Lee Tunnel between Abbey Mills Pumping Station and Beckton Sewage Works (STW), and and extension to Beckton STW.

When London's combined sewers become overloaded due to high flows in the system (for example, following heavy rainfall events), the excess flow is diverted along combined sewer overflows which discharge into the River Thames and its Tideway, with significant impacts on water quality.

The development will improve water quality by intercepting the combined sewer discharges at Abbey Mills, and by storing and transferring flows in the Lee Tunnel to Beckton STW where they will be treated. The infrastructure will provide much needed additional sewage capacity for London.

London Gateway Development Corporation, London Borough of Newham and the Olympic Delivery Authority granted planning permission, subject to conditions, for the development on 1st December 2009. Adams Hendry is now working with Thames Water and its contractors on the discharge of planning conditions. Construction work is programmed to start this year. Adams Hendry Associate Gareth Bennett said “I am delighted that we have secured planning permission for this important project on behalf of Thames Water, without the need for a public inquiry”.