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Sunday, 02 December 2012 11:38

Hydropower Public Consultation Event, Thursday 6th December

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Hydropower Public Consultation Event, Thursday 6th DecemberA proposed hydropower project at Sunbury Weir has already caused great consternation within the community and especially among riverside residents.

The Company will be consulting residents this side of the river at 3pm on Saturday, 15th December at the Riverside Arts Centre, Thames Street but, in the meantime, have arranged a public consultation event at the Elmbridge Excel Leisure Complex in Waterside Drive, Walton, on 6th December.

For full details, click here

13 comments

  • Comment Link Kirsten Thursday, 17 January 2013 21:40 posted by Kirsten

    If you're against it, go to the Weir pub and sign the petition ASAP. Or, even better, grab one of their forms, collect as many signatures as possible and bring it back.

  • Comment Link Brian Bone Sunday, 13 January 2013 08:24 posted by Brian Bone

    In order to produce a tiny amount of unreliable and super-expensive electricity, the beautiful western end of Sunbury Lock Island would be ruined for ever despite being in the greenbelt. The habitat of the wild life which lives there will be destroyed, even though this wildlife includes protected species.

    How could the destruction of an essential part of the local riverscape possibly be described as green?

  • Comment Link Another Parke Rd Resident Saturday, 12 January 2013 17:49 posted by Another Parke Rd Resident

    The proposed plans that have been revealed thus far have a number of flaws. One of the biggest is due to funding, at the public meeting the HP representatives were unable to answer what would happen once the funding was withdrawn / ran out. This would destroy a beautiful little island where currently owls, jays, woodpeckers & parakeets roost. In order to combat the anti-social behaviour on the island that is already prevalent over the summer months, it would be lit and have security. The lighting would prevent birds roosting but also, importantly result in light pollution. This will affect anyone who is riverside from the junction of The Avenue and Thames Street onwards. Having watched the water levels closely since the summer and through the floods, there have been at least 3 months cumulatively where the screws would not have been able to operate. The amount of money which would be spent on this project is completely disproportional to the amount of green power that could be generated. Government funding for renewable energy sources should not be wasted on a scheme that is doomed to fail to meet its objectives.

  • Comment Link Chris Shields Thursday, 10 January 2013 23:53 posted by Chris Shields

    As usual I don't think that this scheme has been thought out to include all of the aspects. This is a huge scheme the 4 turbines will cause a huge visual impact as all of the power heads have to be enclosed. This alone will completely change the view across the top of the weir. The noise from these turbines is quite constant and totally different from the sound generated by the weir itself. I also think that the period that these generators will be able to produce power may also be limited in the recent flood there has been less than 600mm fall which I beleive is not enough to produce power and also during the summer drought there has been insufficient flow to again produce power at all 4 turbines.
    I think as some of the previous comments have said that this is only being proposed because there is possible funding available and when it fails or doesn't really produce the goods the users of the river and the local residents will be the ones to suffer the consequences.

  • Comment Link Richard Stephenson Thursday, 10 January 2013 21:34 posted by Richard Stephenson

    One of the main problems with the idea of opening up Wheatley's Ait and the weir as a public foot/cycle path is that it will create an effectively un-policeable area on the island (which would be quite literally - and worryingly - just a stone's throw from the back of my house).
    I believe that the legitimate users of this sort of path - cyclists, walkers etc - would soon stop using it anyway, through fear of the anti-social elements who will gather there.
    This really is not a case of Nimby-ism - I personally am a keen walker and would find it very useful myself - but even so I don't think it would be worth the trouble that it would cause.
    It would of course also destroy the present idyllic and tranquil character of the Creek.
    The logical answer is of course to provide a ferry service across the river, so giving employment to the ferryman and enabling crossing of the river without unnecessary bridges being built and without creating un-policeable areas on the island to cause harassment to local residents.
    This works very effectively at Shepperton and Molesey and many other places.

  • Comment Link John Lee Thursday, 10 January 2013 19:56 posted by John Lee

    As a keen bike rider I would welcome access to the Walton bank without having to use the bridge at Walton. I am not sure about the comments re nuisance etc, it would be good for Sunbury as the lock keeper has mentioned on numerous occasions the amount of walkers who would like to visit the shops and pubs in Sunbury but have no way of getting across

  • Comment Link steve clarke Tuesday, 08 January 2013 20:35 posted by steve clarke

    Having attended both of Heather Parker’s public presentations I was ambivalent until near the end of the Sunbury session, when an individual described his personal experience of dealing with the government and their support of alternative energy sources. As I recall the story went that the government was very supportive initially, offering subsidies and incentives for others to involve themselves in energy generation schemes in order to fulfil their PR agenda.
    My worry is that the developers will tick all the right boxes, the builders will be paid , the manufacturers of the turbines will be paid, Heather Parker will be paid, as soon as the incumbent government tweaks their policy the endeavour will fail and we will be left with the detritus. The Heather Parker business plan has very serious holes in it, the reliance upon government subsidies is crucial and fickle.
    On another related but very important note Heather Parker have proposed carving up a lovely setting which, as a backdrop includes Wilsons Boatyard, the buildings which Mr Wilson painted annually even into his eighties and to have a whining political indulgence adjacent, think heritage, where are we going?

  • Comment Link amanda boot Tuesday, 08 January 2013 20:28 posted by amanda boot

    Being a local pleasure boater I became concerned to learn of the proposal to install a hydro electric plant at Sunbury Lock. My concern grew the more I looked into the scheme, at the moment on the approach downstream to the lock at the Weir pub there is virtually no flow. The notion that a huge amount of water will be directed into the turbines is truly alarming, this will create a current which will cause many non power boaters and inexperienced day trippers, to get into difficulty, as has been experienced upriver at Osney Lock where there is a much smaller installation.
    At the lower end of the power plant there will be another current caused as a result of the installation, already difficult at times, this will exacerbate the problem.

  • Comment Link Parke Road resident Tuesday, 08 January 2013 19:14 posted by Parke Road resident

    As a resident whose property would overlook the proposed development of the screw turbine I am concerned that yet more projects labelled "eco"
    or "green" appear to totally disregard the aesthetics of the surrounding land and property. In a vote I would object to the plan.
    Also the suggestion to open the weir to a public right of way needs more than serious consideration!

  • Comment Link Richard Stephenson Sunday, 16 December 2012 11:00 posted by Richard Stephenson

    I have attended two of the company's consultation meetings and heard the arguments both for and against this idea. On balance, I find I do not feel strongly against it - subject to some details being worked out to satisfaction - and therefore if asked I would have to say that I am broadly in favour of it on the basis of information so far given.
    I would congratulate the company on being willing to expose their general plans to public scrutiny so early on and before they are set in stone and I trust they will take into account the various points raised at the consultation meetings in drawing up their final plans. Would that projects such as the sports arena at the Elmbridge Leisure Centre had been managed with such early openness!
    BUT I must reject all attempts to link this matter with the idea of opening the weir itself up to the public as a footpath across the river. That is an entirely different subject and, although it may look like quite a good scheme at first glance, there are many strong and important arguments against it. It must therefore be treated and discussed entirely separately.

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