13th September 2022: Debbie writes..
As LEGG was set up specifically to explore the issues around Longstanton’s groundwater loss, and to fight for acknowledgement and remediation, we inevitably bring you quite a lot of ‘downside’ news. But good stuff does happen along the way. For example, we recently told you about the concern being shown about the groundwater issues by Swavesey Parish Council and Internal Drainage board and by Cottenham Parish Council, underlining the fact that an encouraging local consensus is emerging.
Along the same lines, we’re delighted to hear that an inter-parish hydrology working group has been set up to facilitate communication and co-operation between local parish councils, and that they have already had their first meeting. It can only be good news if the voices of all our local parishes join to insist on action.
Attention is also well worth drawing to the fact that Northstowe Town Council have their own hydrology group. Our Northstowe neighbours are actively investigating possible interactions between the new town’s drainage system and the gravel aquifer, with the aim of helping us find out where the groundwater is going. Special mention should go to the personal efforts of Deputy Mayor Paul Littlemore. Thank you Northstowe!
Hi, I think that it would be really good if someone with the right knowledge could pull together a list, with contact details, of all of the groups that are investigating this issue across the local area. I was unaware of any of this, including LEGG, until very recently.
It would also be very useful to include links to, or the documents themselves, the relevant reports. The HR Wallingford report is here, but there are references to the Wardell Armstrong report, which I have not found yet.
I would very much like to know where I can go to discuss details like the following:
– The current design and usage of the greenways, specifically around the runoff water that was previously going into the RTD but is now going into the Northstowe ponds.
– Details of the surface water collection and run-offs for all Northstowe buildings and structures.
– Internal discrepancies within the HR Wallingford reports – part 2 says that the drop in water level is 0.5m, part 3 says 0.3m.
There was also commentary about structural damage seen in the churches which may have been due to the Northstowe dewatering, or the lowering of the RTD water levels. What is happening next with this?
Thanks, Garry
(Apologies for the long comment)