It appears that new Scottish Water Boss Richard Ackroyd has got things moving.  HALL received a call today telling us that Scottish Water have found the problems with the Gryffe Valley Sewers to be more than they thought.  They have to carry out more investigations. Not good news, but not unexpected news.  Lets say well done to Scottish Water for telling us.   

But will the Council take any notice? 

We have written to them saying: 

Today we wrote to Mr. Gannon and in that letter we referred to “material considerations”.  Although there is no statutory definition of material consideration the following are some which would figure on any reasonable person’s list: 

• Representations from the public.
• Representations from health specialists.
• Adverse views of statutory consultees (eg. SEPA).
• Non- availability of infrastructure.
• Impact on the locality.
• Loss of amenity.
• Safety risk to the public.
• Public perception that there is a health and safety risk.
• Admission by public health authority that there is a health and safety risk.
• No overriding need for the development.
• Available alternative sites.

 All apply to the impact of providing foul sewerage connections to this development – none can be ignored by the planning authority. We hardly need to remind you that that this application is in its tenth month.  Hiding behind Scottish Water’s impotence to object to a development frankly is not an unbiased option open to the planning authority. You must refuse this application now. 

We aren’t taking any bets on them taking any notice – look at this web site to see how many times [see] we have told them that the problem is great.  SEPA have also told them.