ITV: Save Windermere campaigner says the 'underinvestment' in sewers is threatening local development
A water quality campaigner says underinvestment in the sewer network is now threatening whether new development is possible around Windermere.
Proposals to transform a former water testing laboratory on the shores of Windermere near Far Sawrey into a new hotel have received more than 900 local objections, due to concerns over the local water treatment site's 'incapacity' to deal with the current amount of sewage.
Matt Staniek, from Save Windermere, believes developers are unable to "sustainably develop the area" due to the lack of infrastructure investment in water treatment.
He said of Ferry House treatment works: "It's essentially a cesspit which is a storage tank. No treatment of sewage occurs at this site. There's already a known issue where this site has been overflowing.
"And then the solution that's been put forward by United Utilities is that they're just going to keep tankering from this site to Ambleside Wastewater Treatment Works, which we already have evidence to show has spilled illegally in previous years.
"What they said ten years ago in a report that they commissioned is that tankering from this is not a long term solution."
Save Windermere says emptying the tank several times a week, driving the sewage to a full treatment works burns fuel and is vulnerable to not happening in bad winter weather.
Residents believe proposals to build an 18-bedroom hotel could put too much pressure on the sewage network, and could then damage Windermere's water quality.
The planned hotel is situated next to United Utilities' Ferry House wastewater facility.
A spokesperson for United Utilities, said: “We have already announced plans for significant investment to upgrade numerous sites to help improve water quality in Windermere.
“In the last 12 months we have already made investment in our Ferry House site to increase its capacity. We will also be making further upgrades at the site to support any future developments, subject to securing the necessary permissions and following due process.”
In the planning application, the developers Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group, proposed installing a private system to treat the hotel's sewage if their plans were approved.
The Environment Agency recommended the Mikhail Group's drainage strategy should be denied.
The organisation stated: "The lack of capacity or plans to improve capacity in the public sewer is not a valid reason for a development to install a private sewerage system."
The developer has now agreed to discharge foul water to the public sewer, but not surface water, at United Utilities request.
Save Windermere's Matt Staniek, says the new development will create additional sewage to what already is a 'major problem'.
He said: "This site should be turned into a pumping station and it should be pumped to a waste water treatment works that has capacity to be able to treat the sewage down to a point where it's not having an impact on Windermere.
"This is simply the fact that the private water company hasn't sufficiently invested to ensure the developers like this can come in and sustainably develop the area."
The developer has not responded to our requests for comment. The proposals are still in the planning application stage and are yet to be reported back to the Development Control Committee for a decision.
