Wyatt Homes’ sewage treatment scheme a “giant cess pit disaster” claim Bransgore residents

A PROPOSED sewage treatment plant at an approved 100-home development has been described as a “giant cesspit” and “a disaster waiting to happen” during an angry meeting of village residents.

The bid to create a package treatment plan (PTP) and infrastructure at Derritt Lane in Bransgore is an amendment to a previously permitted scheme for 100 homes on fields on the outskirts of the village.

The development by Wyatt Homes was given the green light in May 2022, despite strong opposition from Bransgore and Sopley parish councils and more than 140 objectors.

At the time of the approval, the developer argued the scheme’s comprehensive system of bunds and drainage basins would not worsen flooding issues currently experienced by neighbours in Wiltshire Gardens and the downstream communities of Sopley and Winkton; but rather improve the situation.

On behalf of Wyatt Homes, planning manager Philip Saunders said introducing the treatment plant to the north-eastern part of the site had come about as a result of restrictions requiring new housing developments within the Avon catchment to be phosphate neutral.

It was claimed by the developer that similar PTPs are widely used elsewhere, and can be accommodated safely below ground without producing any odour.”

The latest planning amendment was considered by Bransgore Parish Council during a packed meeting of around 80 residents at the village hall, when campaigners claimed allowing the plans would be an “environmental disaster” for the village.

One villager told the meeting: “It is not a sewage treatment plant – it is a giant cess pit right in the middle of those houses. Can you imagine the stink every time it needs to be pumped out and it will need to be pumped out on a regular basis.”

He continued: “It is not a sewage plant – it’s a bio hazard. We shouldn’t be taking farming land away from this country when Europe’s at war – we need this area to grow food, not build houses in completely the wrong place.”

Another resident, Lisa Foster, argued that Wyatt Homes should be asked to submit a new application for the whole scheme.

She pointed out that the development site was included in NFDC’s local plan in 2016, and that since then the development had been seriously impacted by climate change leading to increased flooding.

“The last two winters have been horrendous for flooding in that area,” said Ms Foster.

Pointing out that NFDC planning committee members initially voted to refuse planning permission on the basis of flooding concerns, Ms Foster said Wyatt Homes came back with a “fancy presentation” explaining that water would be pumped away with hydraulic pumps.

She said: “Now they want to build a totally immoral and disgusting cess pit in our village that will affect our health. It should be a totally new application, not an amendment – this is a very serious change to the plans.”

Richard Frampton told the meeting government policy set out that the new properties should be connected to the public foul sewage network if they were built within 3km of the nearest connection.

Reading from government advice, he said: “The Environment Agency will not give you a permit for a private sewage treatment system if it is reasonable for you to connect to the public sewer.”

He said: “I would suggest you say that you concur with government guidance that as this is a sewered area it should be connected to the public sewers and an environmental permit should not be given.”

Others questioned what mitigation features would be in place in the event of a power failure at the PTP.

One resident said: “With the gradient of Derritt Lane, they will be trying to pump up hill. We know that sewage only goes one way, and therefore with a system like that as soon as you have an electrical failure you are going to have a massive problem on your hands.

“By saying that sewage can no longer go into the mains they have shot themselves in the foot and the whole application has now become unviable.”

Another resident asked what would happen if the company that was building and maintaining the PTP stopped operating. “You could have an orphan site in 20 to 30 years, and then what happens to the waste?”, he asked. “Who will maintain it?”

One Wiltshire Gardens resident claimed that Wessex Water had told him the local pumping station was already overrun and unable to cope.

“I want homes but they need to be suitably placed, suitably serviced and suitably maintained in places where people can live and feel safe,” they said. “We cannot sleepwalk into this.”

Members of Bransgore Parish Council unanimously voted to recommend refusal of the scheme and agreed a member of its planning committee would attend the NFDC meeting to speak against it.