Residents are furious about a new unauthorised sewage treatment system, which would discharge into a waterway circling their 22 homes.
IT project manager Andrew Wilson was horrified to discover the end of the discharge pipe on his land and without his permission.
The pipe had been installed under his boundary fence and hanging over the waterway which runs through his garden.
He and other residents of Bonhomie Court in Broadcommon Road, Hurst are battling to get the sewage system removed. The equipment is part of a barn conversion, about 400 yards away, to create a home.
Valerie Tester has told Wokingham Borough Council’s planners: “I strongly object to the work ……to install a septic tank with a pipe discharge into a stream which is in the grounds of Bonhomie Court and very much part of our lovely gardens.
“I have had no notification of this work. This is appalling and surely cannot be allowed to happen, with effluent pouring into this stream which in high rainfalls extensively floods, overflowing into our gardens and in dry periods the stream dries up which would leave this sewage in the ground.
“This is an environmental hazard… I strongly urge this work to be stopped.”
She felt that the Broadcommon Road mains sewer should be used instead.
The council has approved planning details of the barn conversion in Islandstone Lane. But it’s been revealed the permissions didn’t include the sewage system.
Mr Wilson couldn’t understand how planning permission was granted without questions about sewerage. He praised Hurst Village Society’s fantastic support for the residents’ case.
The residents took their complaints, including safety concerns about wild ducks and geese, to the council’s planning enforcement team.
On Monday council development compliance specialist Marcus Watts told Mr Wilson and John Osborne of Hurst Village Society he had seen that a “small sewage (package) treatment plant”, rather than a septic tank [as had been suggested by residents], was being installed.
He understood the installation works were now complete. The plant was unauthorised development. If an application for permission was refused “further action would be taken to enforce the removal of the offending treatment plant.”
Cllr Wayne Smith, executive member for planning and enforcement, said the conversion planning application did not include any works relating to a septic tank or waste water system.
“Following complaints from local residents, the council’s enforcement team were on site within 24 hours and are now investigating. The applicant has been told that any septic tank or waste water system works require planning permission,” he said.
“The applicant indicated that they will submit a planning application for this work. Once the council has received an application, local residents will be consulted and have the opportunity to comment.” A spokesperson for the application’s agent, mm3 Design, said that “the necessary applications have been submitted for the water treatment plant”. The spokesman would not comment on the residents’ complaints.
