Back to list Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant Relocation

Representation by Fiona Orme

Date submitted
18 July 2023
Submitted by
Members of the public/businesses
  1. The carbon cost of building a new sewage works at Honey Hill and decommissioning the old is far too high and goes against government guidelines. I strongly object to relocation of sewage works because the enormous carbon cost of decommissioning the old site at Milton has not been taken into the carbon cost of building new sewage work at Honey Hill. I do not know how this can be allowed. It is contrary to government guidelines on low carbon building and should be challenged. The Carbon cost of the new sewage work is overly high as it has to be built above ground. The carbon cost of the new NECAAP housing on the Milton water works site is also far too high. Has the full carbon cost of the whole project (NECAAP and CWWTPR) been taken into account? By Anglia Water’s own admission, no. On a side point:- The Old Water Works at Cherry Hinton were decommissioned and redeveloped as office building and rented by ARM Holdings. Decades after decommissioning ARM engineers complained of the smell of sewage during the hot summer months. I have personal experience of this. I would argue that it is extremely difficult and costly to clean up Milton. This site has been used for decades for the dangerous waste of Cambridge and not only sewage. It is no ordinary brown field site. It should stay a water works built on clay. 2. Honey Hill is on on an aquifer. This was the reason why Honey Hill was unsuitable for building a sewage works in the previous application. This has not changed. The excuse to carry on with the project, despite this hugely important environmental fact means that Cambridge Water will build all the infrastructure above ground. This reduces but does not rule out future sewage contamination. Water companies have been discredited all over the UK for putting profit over the contamination of our rivers and countryside. Honey Hill is another example Why do we have to listen to Anglia Water putting profit before the environment? Such fundamental infrastructure decisions, especially for such an important historic city such as Cambridge should not be left to Anglia Water. Their actions show we can not trust them on water contamination. 3. Honey Hill Sewage Works will be seen like a ‘Shit on the Fens’ a sad parody of Ely Cathedral’s ‘Ship of the Fens’. The impact of a huge industrial complex completely devastates this historic and important part of Cambridge City Greenbelt. The green belt is not nothing, to be put aside just because of a development. Anglia Water say that the greenbelt can only be used in exceptional circumstances and building a sewage works on Honey Hill is at bottom a development opportunity. Not necessary or exceptional. 4. Why drown Cambridge City’s recommendations for green lungs for Cambridge in sewage? The Green Belt and Cambridge’s historic circle of villages protects the city and the people in it. Cambridge City Council’s Horizon Report commissioned by the council advised the retention of green lungs for Cambridge reaching out via cycle routes to the surrounding villages and country side. Not a place for a large sewage works. 5. Any councillor you talk to say that Cambridge’s infrastructure in terms of transport, hospitals and everything else apart from sewage is at capacity so what are you doing really? Is it sensible for the long term future of Cambridge? I would answer no it is not sensible. We need to take in the bigger picture. 6. Silicon Fen does not need a sewage works at Honey Hill. The Milton Sewage Works could stay where it is with a lower cost financially to developers and reduce the enormous carbon cost of both building the new sewage works and decommissioning the old. NECAAP can continue if the Milton site remains and is upgraded. It will only be smaller. Cambridge Airport is a huge development opportunity and there are others. 7. The residents closest to the sewage works who live in East Barnwell and Marleigh were not even consulted in the so called consultation process. How can this be a democratic or fair process. Is it even legal? The consultation process was manipulative setting one area of Cambridge against the other, washing only. It didn’t really address the fundamental issue of whether the Milton sewage works could stay or if it did move where this should be to? SILICON FEN/THE HISTORIC CITY OF CAMBRIDGE DOES NOT NEED A SEWAGE WORKS AT HONEY HILL.