Sewage and Water

With Daventry growing by approx 15,000 people (6,200 dwellings ) by 2021 and plans to continue growth to at least 2025, the lack of a strategic planning ‘committee’ should be rectified as soon as possible.

AWS’s (Anglian Water Services) lack of knowledge about their system, particularly sewer capacity, does suggest that the best way forward is to build a new sewer to connect directly to the treatment works.  This could be spending a lot of money needlessly so it is important to survey the relevant systems before any plan is made.  Also no network model exists, another immediate task to rectify.

Not clear if the developers will pay for the new infrastructure, para 8.3.3 suggests that ALL AWS users will pay even if there is no benefit to them.  With projected costs in excess of £150m there needs to be a quick clarification on who will shoulder this financial burden and the split if any, between developers and the paying public.

Spare capacity at the Long Buckby treatment plant will provide for a maximum of 2,000 dwellings then a new plant at Whilton Locks will ‘take over’.  The survey suggests a gap of approx 2-3 years if the housing build rate is 453/year although there are two different critical dates in the report, 3.3.1 states ‘design could potentially begin in 2010 with construction to potentially start before 2015’ and 5.1.4 states ‘is built in 2012-2013’ and operational in 2015.  Even if costs are put in the 2009 financial cycle surely a standard plant can be built in under 5/6 years.  There is nothing in the report to suggest that Long Buckby will have spare capacity when Whilton takes over, some is necessary for expansion of all the areas serviced by the plant.  There apparently could be an increase in capacity at Whilton STW (Sewage Treatment Works) by a relaxation in the discharge consent.  As this discharge goes into the river Nene and the Grand Union canal any increase in potential contamination will be opposed.

Transport and  Traffic

Although the report concentrates on Daventry infrastructure, there are traffic/financial implications beyond the growth boundaries.  The report tacitly accepts an increase in traffic between Daventry and Northampton even with the developers providing ‘one dwelling one job’.  We have not been able to get a copy of the traffic surveys so the scenario we envisage is based on our own traffic count, NCC data and the computer generated traffic growth figures in the developers’ applications.

400 vph at peak times, 2,600vpd on the C5 road at Whilton Locks.  Computer model increases of 80% and 60% if both developments proceed.  This gives 960 vph and 6,240 vpd.  So the projected vpd is 69% of the existing vpd on the A5, a modern well maintained trunk road with selective speed limits.  The C5 road is a twisting country road with some fast stretches, in part a Red route, and already a very common alternative route to Northampton (max recorded speed is 89 mph ! ).

We do not believe that the C5 can take this increase without the inevitable consequences and
urge you to consider the following:

You have already accepted that roundabouts are needed to control the projected increase in traffic from/to Daventry and we know that the Flore/Weedon bypass is second in the priority list by the NCC.  Make the preferred route A5, Flore/Weedon bypass then A45 - all major roads capable of handling this increase.  Also, most important, take active measures to discourage use of the C5.   Your report suggests - do nothing on this road - this is not acceptable - we do not wish it to be the most dangerous road in the country.

Electricity

The growth should be seen as an opportunity for the electricity supplier to improve our service.

Broadband

There are ongoing problems within the parish with the quality of the Broadband service; the output received is particularly low, which impacts on home working, again an opportunity to improve the service.