We’re building an underground shaft to hold storm water
We’re going to increase how much storm water we can store below ground near our Woolston Wastewater Treatment site. This means we’ll be able to treat more dirty water before it goes into the estuary. By doing this, we will help improve the quality of Southampton Water and help protect shellfish.
What are we building?
We’re going to build an underground shaft to hold storm water. There simply isn’t space to fit it in the existing Treatment Works so we’re asking Southampton City Council for planning permission to use some space in the Victoria Road carpark.
What are we doing next?
We started construction activities in Victoria Road car park on 16 January 2023. We anticipate that the project will be complete by Autumn 2024.
Can I use the car park?
We have closed the car park to keep everyone safe. We apologise for the inconvenience caused by this.
When are you working in Victoria Road?
We will build a new pipe that will run under Victoria Road from the storage area to the treatment site. We anticipate that we will carry out this work in Summer 2023.
There will be 2-way lights on Victoria Road near the junction with Swift Road for about three weeks, while we do this bit of work.
Keeping you updated
If you would like to receive text updates about our work, please make sure that your mobile number is available in your Southern Water online account.
Parking near Victoria Road
Following our drop-in last year and after listening to your concerns about parking issues, we will be applying to Southampton City Council to install temporary double yellow lines.
These lines will be painted on the sailing club side of Victoria Road, see map below. They will be removed when we finish the project.
We expect to be able to install the lines on 6 March 2023 and to remove them a year later, around 6 March 2024. While we wait for permission to be granted, we’ll erect a temporary Heras fencing around our site to allow visibility to road users. Once the double yellow lines have been painted, we will start securing our site with wooden hoarding to reduce visual impact.
We are sorry for any inconvenience caused to you by the onset of our work so far. Thank you for your patience while we carry out this project.
Your questions answered
Why are we building a storm tank?
To protect the environment and shellfish in Southampton Water.
What are the reasons for this work?
The climate is changing, and we predict there will be more frequent and fierce storms. Therefore, to deal with future challenges, we need to ensure we have additional storage.
Where will we build the storage area?
We’re going to build underground storage in the corner of Victoria Road car park. It will hold the storm water until the weather improves. Then we’ll pump it to Woolston Wastewater Treatment works to be processed. This will improve the quality of the water going into Southampton Water.
How will we build it?
We need to dig a hole measuring about twenty-five metres wide and twenty metres deep. It will hold approximately five million litres – that is the same amount as two Olympic swimming pools!
How will you connect the tank to the treatment works?
We will build a new pipe that will run under Victoria Road from the storage area to the treatment site. The pipe will be installed by digging the ground as well as drilling. This will save time and cause you less disruption.
There will be 2-way lights on Victoria Road near the junction with Swift Road for about three weeks, while we do this bit of work.
Why does it take around a year and a half to build?
The storage area will be twenty-five metres wide and twenty metres deep. We must do the dig in stages safely. The construction techniques used are standard within the industry and will look to minimise the impact to the community. We will build the new pipe and storage at the same time.
Can I still use the carpark?
No, we are sorry that we must close the whole car park and basketball court during the construction period to keep everyone safe.
What about the electric vehicle charging point? Where can I go instead?
Unfortunately, the EV charging points will not be available during the works. The nearest alternative charging points in Woolston are at: Woodley Road SO19 9DW, Oakbank Road SO19 9DT and The Colonnade SO19 2DJ.
When will you do the work?
We expect to start construction work in January 2023 and anticipate that we will complete it by Autumn 2024.
What are your working hours?
We plan to work Monday – Friday, 7.00am to 6.00pm. We do not expect to work at weekends. However, there may be times we may have to works during the weekend. We’ll notify the property owners adjacent to the construction site if we must work weekends.
Will it be noisy?
There will be noise when we do certain construction activities. We will limit such activities to daylight hours. We are going to put a solid, wooden hoarding around the site to try to minimise the noise.
Does the work cause vibration?
Yes, some construction activities may cause vibration of the area. We have completed ground surveys in the area and will regularly monitor vibration levels during the work.
Will there be lots of construction traffic?
We have been working with the Local Authority to find the safest route for vehicles to get to and from the construction site. They’ll follow a one-way system.
The number of construction vehicles will depend on the phase of the project. At its peak, there will be around 15 lorries, arriving and leaving the site each day. Peak duration will be for a period of 6 months. We will limit deliveries during the peak times (school run), 8.30am – 9.30am and 3pm – 4pm.
Will there be mud on the road during construction?
Yes, there will be mud generated because of vehicle movements. We will keep mud off the roads by having a wheel wash facility on site or using a road-sweeper.
Where will your staff park?
Our staff will park at the treatment works so that we leave you as many spaces on the local roads as possible.
What will the site look like when the work is finished?
We’ll restore the car park and basketball court to their current condition.
We will cover the storm tank area in slabs which contain small cells. These are filled with soil and grass seeds, to blend in better with the surroundings.
The control units, next to the storm tank, will be green to help them blend in with surroundings too.
What will happen to the greenery around the car park?
We plan to temporarily remove the green bunds and some plants adjacent to the carpark to make space is available while we do the construction work. We are working closely with environmental specialists at Southampton City Council to re-landscape the area appropriately when the work is completed.
Who do I contact if I have a question?
Please contact Matthew Thompson, GTB Communication and Communities Lead on 07810 655423. Alternatively, call our 24hr contact centre on 0330 303 0368 and say you are ringing about Capital Projects Project Reference Number (PRN) 790124.