It is disappointing that we are still lacking in a final plan with regards to the sewer diversion at Ickenham Green and so I met with the team to discuss their plans in more detail. While I do understand some of the delays, I am very aware that residents and allotment holders want certainty about what these works will mean to them.
With regards to the Green itself, Thames Water and their contractor, Barhale, are looking at how much land they will need to occupy, and this is largely dependant on how negotiations with the landowner of the former window shop progress. The preference would be to use that site for storage while the works go on and this would dramatically reduce the amount of land taken on the Green.
Moving down towards the allotment site, the dilemma that they are working with at the moment is centred around how many trees they are able to avoid cutting down to gain access. This would however come at the expense of taking more of the allotment plots. These plans are currently being worked through with officials at Hillingdon Council and I know Thames Water will then be engaging with residents and allotment holders to see which option is preferable.
The other concerns which I was keen to raise are the issues of flooding on the green, which I know are being seriously looked in to, and impact these works will have on the footpath. Thankfully on this second point, I was reassured that the footpath will be retained.
