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Two legal challenges have been mounted against the development consent order (DCO) that was granted to the Thames Tideway Tunnel last month.
The super sewer project was granted a development consent order last month and the deadline for a judicial review passed on Friday with two applications for a judicial review made.
The first judicial review application came from Southwark Council which says its objection relates to the proposed use of Chamber’s Wharf as a construction site.
After the DCO was granted, the leader of Southwark Council, Peter John, said: “This is a ludicrous and evil decision by the Secretaries of State as the Planning Inspectorate clearly found that Chamber’s Wharf was not a suitable drive site for this super sewer.”
He added: “We will continue to fight this decision and look at all our options including a Judicial Review, and ensure Thames Water is held to account along every step of the planning process to get the best possible outcome for our residents.”
The second legal challenge comes from Thames Blue-Green Economy, a group of independent experts – including engineers, environmentalists, and lawyers – who want to stop the super sewer project being developed so that “cheaper, quicker, lower risk, and more sustainable” solutions are implemented.
The group claims the decision is unlawful because the government failed to comply with its legal obligations under the Environmental Impact Assessment regime with regard to public participation.
A spokesperson for Thames Tideway Tunnel said that the company acknowledges that the two applications for a judicial review had been made, but added: “work on the project will continue business as usual”.
A Government spokesman said: “We have full confidence in the robustness of the Development Consent Order and are unable to comment on any ongoing legal proceedings.
“As one of the country’s leading infrastructure projects, the Thames Tideway Tunnel will modernise the capital’s ageing sewerage system.”
The Thames Tideway Tunnel project has been designed to run 25km along the River Thames between Acton and Abbey Mills and intercept 34 combined sewer overflows.
It will divert surface water and sewage discharge to a wastewater treatment facility rather than allowing it to discharge directly into the river.
A failure to tackle the sewage overflow into Thames after periods of heavy or intense rainfall would leave UK facing EU fines of up to £100 million a year.
To help fund the construction of the super sewer, Thames Water has said that consumer water bills would increase by about £80 a year.
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