You can find info from CWAC here 111203 GQ Bins

In GQ even the sewage is arty!

Below is an email from Welsh Water explaining their progress to date on eliminating the odours from their plant. If you think it is smelly please email both Nina and Tim (the environmental health officer for CWAC) at their addresses below…

From: Nina.Jones@dwrcymru.com
To: Tim.Braithwaite@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk;

Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:23:56 +0100
Subject: Chester Wastewater Treatment Works

Dear All

Chester Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) – 14^th October 2011

On behalf of Dwr Cymru / Welsh Water, I must again apologise for any inconvenience that our treatment works is causing to the local residents in the Chester area, and stress that we have actions and activities ongoing to reduce the disturbance being caused.

Today,  I have made enquiries on progress of the actions to reduce the odours associated with our treatment works:-

Odour Control – Status of the repairs to the one faulty Odour Control Unit :

• Approval has been given for the work to be undertaken and we expect this to be done shortly, as soon as a date is available, I will update you all.

Ferric Dosing:

• The Operator’s daily inspection includes a visual check to ensure the equipment is operating correctly (ie liquid is witnessed dripping, not just pump operated).

3 Primary Tanks

• To reduce retention time in the tanks (and hence reduce generation of odour), we are now running on 2 tanks.

Imports of sludge from other sites:

• Chester WwTW  is only accepting sludge from 2 nearby treatment works (all other imports have been halted) – this is a significant reduction on the works’ capacity and usual activity.

Drum Thickener:

• This is to facilitate sludge treatment and I can confirm that the temporary mobile drum thickener is on site and fully operational.

Please do pass any odour related complaints to us, and you are welcome to forward this progress summary to any interested parties.  I will provide you all with a further update next week.

Finally, and again I must reiterate our commitment to improve the situation for the people of Chester.

Regards

Nina

Nina Jones

Regulatory Policy Manager Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

The council are currently considering the latest plan by Chester Renaissance to re-arrange St. Werburgh st and remove the lawns and trees. View the plans here and have your say if you are for or against it.

http://pa.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=LS6C48TE04200

A great festival weekend, very well attended and organised. The iffy weather on Sunday still didn’t put people off. Here’s a video from the concert on Friday at St. Thomas’s church.

Chester Performs and their annual version of France’s “Nuit Blanches”. Due to popular demand you need to book if you want to visit.

Click to book!

Click on the image for full size

Tickets are available at Mustique Hairdressers on Garden Lane or Cake Fairies shop on old port square near the Water Tower gardens….. We’ve got spare flyers too, so if you know of anywhere to put them please contact us to get a handful…..

We now have a new facebook page. www.facebook.com/gardenquarter Be sure to check it out and “Like” our page for all the updates!

From Geoff Taylor – local resident.

I was accompanied by Avril Coady and Bob Rudd was present as our Ward Councillor.

Gemma Birchall (Architect) and Kate McLane (Developer Rep) gave a Power Point presentation that gave details of their plans.

My response included many of the comments that you have all fed me with – many thanks for these.

In summary I stated:

• We are already groaning under the weight of students in the Ward.
• Such intensive development will serve to destroy our vibrant community.
• Despite Morris Homes declaring that the development will be car free – even extended to parents and visitors!!! I responded that I believe this to be unworkable.
• When the boatyard was started in the 1880s it was served by canal – the only  sensible  access today  is from the South View end of Whipcord Lane and then up the stretch of Upper Cambrian Rd alongside the boatyard – this latter already subject to priority traffic arrangement and the Whipcord Lane stretch effectively a single track as resident, rightly, park outside their homes.
• Furthermore, residents in some streets are already pestered by the comings and goings of taxis carrying student for their night out.
• Architecturally the proposal does not respect the wonderful mix of Victorian housing styles we enjoy in the Ward. It clashes with a Grade II listed boatyard – the proposed accommodation could not be used for anything other than a hostel (could not revert to homes).
• I said that we would wish to see the earlier proposals for 27 units containing 12 apartments as  the development model for the site. Planning Permission for this plan has lapsed. Many will remember the meetings we held considering these proposals.
• I quoted paragraphs from Government Planning Policy Statements  where Planners are guided to ensure that developments reflect the spirit of the community they are placed: Scale, Mass, Quantity, etc.
• I reminded the Members of the motion that was passed on 28 July regarding having a housing strategy for students.
• Thinking of our city we do not want to see the place pepper-potted with student developments. If this happens, there would be no further opportunities to develop homes, including affordable homes.
• We want a moratorium on brown field developments for students until the Council have formulated a strategy with the University and other stakeholders – not least residents.
• I felt it important to comment on the proposed new two storey primary school intended to replace Victoria and St Thomas of Canterbury. We would wish to see this school, that enjoys a high reputation both in the Ward and beyond, serve our local community. We want families to live in our Ward and putting 211 students on the site will not help serve this purpose
• I also reminded them that we are on the edge of the City Centre Conservation Area.
• Avril Coady made some welcome supportive comments to my presentation, as did Bob Rudd.

Please remember that the meeting was not a planning meeting – it was more of a preliminary means of Strategic Planners receiving advance views before formal planning permission is requested.

There is no outcome from the meeting – Members will have discussed the matter in camera to avoid prejudicing their positions. No battle has been won.

Morris Homes will likely apply for permission late August. It beholds all of us who feel passionate about our community and the boatyard location to respond individually from their own perspective once planning permission is requested.

Geoff Taylor

The new proposal to be submitted in Aug. Click for full size.