Crater for sewer 'will stink out most of borough'

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Thames Water wants to build the sewer as an outlet for storm water, which Victorian sewers are unable to cope with.

The tunnel will channel sewage and waste water into a series of processing plants, avoiding the current practice of pumping it directly into the Thames.

The crater would be the the sewer's entry point.

The water firm had planned that the entry point for the 18 mile-long Thames Tunnel would be in a non-residential area in the borough of Hounslow. Now it expects the tunnel to run between Hammersmith and Beckton.

Although Thames Water has not specified where the crater will be, officials at Hammersmith and Fulham council fear the most likely site is Furnival Gardens.

Councillor Nicholas Botterill said: "We are shocked at Thames Water's U-turn as they always led us to believe the tunnel would start in Chiswick.

"It now appears they have changed their minds. We are pressing Thames Water for urgent answers. A 30-metre wide tunnel entrance near the Thames can only be justified in a massive area of open land well away from built-up areas.

"There is no area like that in Hammersmith and Fulham so the only answer must be to put the entrance further up river, where previously intended, at Duke's Meadow or thereabouts.

"It cannot possibly go anywhere in Hammersmith and Fulham as that would mean utterly destroying somewhere like Furnival Gardens or another one of our beautiful parks."

Thames Water wants to start building in 2012. It will be one of the biggest engineering projects ever attempted in the capital and the earliest expected finish date is 2020.

Council officers will meet Thames officials next month to ask where they propose to put six construction sites.

A spokesman for Thames Water said plans were at an early stage and it was consulting all affected parties.