PROTESTERS fighting plans for a 4.4km waste water pipe turned out to a public meeting hosted by United Utilities in Rostherne.

The water board, which has recently reviewed its pipe route from Mere to Bowdon in order to avoid the Site of Special Scientific Interest at Rostherne Mere, is still under fire from residents and landowners who are requesting that the pipe not be installed at all.

United Utilities has said that the works are essential to minimise the amount of waste water overflow from its pumping station and treatment centre and that if a new pipe is built, with a wider diameter, the incidents of overspill will be reduced to once in 30 years.

Craig Dixon-Goode, director at Tatton Estate Management Utilities, turned up to Wednesday’s meeting with other TEM staff.

He said: “We have been speaking to them for quite a while now. We feel like we are at a bit of an impasse.

“We decided to have an informal consultation of our own because we don’t feel people are fully aware of what’s happening. They don’t understand much disruption this is going to cause. They have their own tales of disruption from existing roadworks.

“We need to be a bit more visible and make United Utilities know that they are going to encounter opposition from us.”

But United Utilities project manager, Jonathan Clarke, told the Guardian that it has been consulting with landowners and residents for three years to come up with a viable option.

He said: “The consultation is ongoing,” he said. “We are having an on-going dialogue to deliver the scheme as best as we can. It’s difficult to address everyone’s concerns.

“Since 2014 we have gone into detailed discussions. There have been a number of schemes that haven’t met everyone’s preference. Now we think we can deliver this project to meet as many needs and expectations as possible.”

Jonathan said that the pipe, which has been reduced by more than one kilometre since the first set or proposals, is to fill requirements laid out by the Environment Agency.

The new pump will go from Mereside Road, along Cicely Mill Lane, which will be closed in March for up to three weeks, Marsh Lane, which will be closed for up to eight weeks in April and Birkenheath Lane which will be closed in June for around four weeks.

United Utilities said that it is working with Tatton Park to ensure that the works will not coincide with any major events.

Wayne Hillyar, project manager for LIMA- United Utilities construction partners, said: “If there’s a big event on with a large volume of traffic we will come off the roads.

“They have local diversions when there’s a big event. We will have to be clear of the roads minimising the impact on Tatton Park and on the residents at a time where the country lanes become rat runs.”

n What do you think of the plans? Email us at yourviews@guardiangrp.co.uk

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