Next phase looms in Severn Trent project

Residents had a chance to learn more about the next phase of a £60m project to improve Newark’s waste and water network.

Representatives from Severn Trent Water and its main contractor, BNM Alliance, were at the Deincourt Hotel, Newark, to discuss the work planned for the east of the town.

The overall project will see more than 400 homes and businesses protected from sewer flooding and will future-proof water supplies when it is completed in 2020.

Work was this week under way on London Road where there will be temporary traffic lights at the Newark end of the road.

Shafts have been sunk on Sleaford Road and Queen’s Road to enable tunnelling work to take place and another will be sunk on Beacon Hill Road later this year.

Castlegate will be made one-way, between the Great North Road roundabout and the bus station on Lombard Street, for 17 weeks from January until May.

That is so Severn Trent can drill a tunnel under, linking its Crankley Point sewage works at the River Trent to Millgate.

Motorists will be able to go as far as Asda and the bus station on Lombard Street, but no vehicles will be allowed on to Castlegate from that direction.

Traffic flow

Mr David Morris, design lead for BNM Alliance, said: “This exhibition is our opportunity to let everyone know what we are doing and what the proposed timelines are.

“It is also to find out what special requests our customers have, because they know Newark a lot better than we do.

“It is our opportunity to pick their brains about traffic flow.

“The feedback has been very positive.

“Local cafés, restaurants and businesses have been supportive.”

Paul and Christine Smith, of Winchilsea Avenue, Newark, visited the consultation.

Mr Smith said: “It has got to be a positive thing if you replace an ageing network and it has got to be good overall for the future.

“We live on Winchilsea Avenue and the end of our road is going to be closed for a few weeks.

“That will be a little bit more of a pain for us but we can still get access out of the street so that is fine.”

Engineers are due to work on Winchilsea Avenue in October and November.

Mr John Chambers, of Windsor Avenue, Newark, said: “I am okay with the whole project as I understand it is a big undertaking.

“I used to be in construction so I know what they are up to and I know what they are doing, so I have come out of interest to see what else will happen.”

Severn Trent will also be working on Windsor Avenue in October and November.

Mr Chambers said: “It is an open-cut sewer so it is a big, deep, ditch where they will lay the new pipes, backfill it and re instate the road surface.”