Sir – Your front page article in your April 8 edition headlined: Sewers 'won’t cope with new developments' struck a chord with us here in Woodstock, where we are faced with the threat of 1,500 new houses being constructed, effectively doubling the size of the existing town.

At the moment, the town is serviced by a pump house at the bottom of Brook Hill which pumps the effluent to the sewage works at the top of Green Lane. Several years ago, new pumps were installed and holding chambers constructed.

That serviced the town well and, even with the addition of some housing, appears to have accommodated the increase in demand.

The construction of 1,500 additional new houses presents a very different story. The position of the proposed development will not be able to use the existing drainage on a natural flow system because the distance is too far. Any attempt to use a pump system with connections to the existing drainage and pump house could cause a problem to a present system that is working satisfactorily. Therefore we are looking at a new pumping system that will accommodate the total development constructed and that takes the effluent direct to the existing sewage works and the extension of that facility– not a cheap proposition.

The proposed site absorbs a large amount of rainwater. which filters into the water table. To cover a high percentage of the land with a hard surface will direct water into ditches which will change the existing courses of its distribution. The site is at approximately the same level as the town, so water tables could change.

These are just some of the many problems we foresee with this planning application. which the town council and a majority of the community are opposing with all possible vigour.

Brian Yoxall 
Woodstock Town Councillor
Green Lane, Woodstock