| WATER QUALITY |
Here is an extract from a letter sent by an official
of the Water Quality Team on 10th August 2001
|
10/8/01
"
It should
be noted that the stream, which lies to the east of the site, drains
downstream
through (the) ....Distillery. The site should be designed
and constructed according to the principles of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems." |
|
| This SUDS is an interesting concept (new to me). There are many web sites
devoted to it. Perhaps the one that explains the system in simple terms
most effectively is on this SUDS site |
| But don't worry too much about SUDS as this recommendation has been
abandoned and, as far as we understand, there is to be no Sustainable Urban
Drainage System on this site. Instead, the storm water is to be taken by
pipe off
the site. |
| We queried this with the Planning Authority and the Divisional Planning
Manger replied to us on 2nd March 2004 as follows :- |
2/3/04
"The reference to Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems in
the Water Quality Unit response of 10th August 2001 is standard advice
that
is attached to any grant of Planning Permission by way of an informative"
|
|
| So what does this mean exactly? One interpretation could be that these
Agencies write these things but no-one takes any notice. Why bother? Perhaps
only because it looks as if something is being done towards the environment,
when they write advice like that. |
| |
| At an office meeting in October 2003 between the
developer, his agent and the senior planner, the agent said that : - |
"......Water Service
are insisting on a separate system to serve the site and this will
ensure no seepage into the
existing water channel, which is of particular importance to (the....) Distillery". |
|
| |
And a member of the Rivers Agency wrote to Planning on 18th November
2003 : -
|
18/11/03
"
It should be noted that (the) .... Distillery extracts
water from the Distillery Burn and any
outfalls from the development should be downstream of the extraction
point
at the spillway." (My emphasis and
italics) ) |
|
| So they are all doing their best to ensure
a clean and pure Rill. |
|
| Several people objected to the housing development on the grounds that
there could/would be contamination of the stream by garden chemicals leaching
into the soil, once the houses are occupied and gardens established.
(See Distillery page) Interestingly
here is an extract from the "Landscape
Element Maintenance and Guidance Notes" for the maintenance of the
public landscaped areas of this Off Eagry development |
"Weed Control.
Mulch all planted areas with pea gravel over landscape fabric or amenity grade
bark chippings to a depth of 50mm. Use of herbicides by fully trained and
experienced staff only. Inspect beds for weed invasion during April and spray
with Roundup if required. Inspect again in early June. Spray only if necessary.
Do not use residual herbicides." |
|
| |
| And later on in the same document, when referring to the proposed public
footpaths, we read : - |
"Spray weeds with a residual weedkiller
in accordance with the manufacturers instructions and health and
safety legislation". |
|
| |
| Then referring to the maintenance of the public trees in the same document
: - |
"Incorporate a slow
release fertilizer such as osmocote into the planting medium at
the rate of 75g sqm" |
|
| However the landscape designer assures me the chemicals mentioned above
will not be harmful and if anything there is far more risk of pollution
from
farmers fertilizing their fields with the associated leaching of
nitrates into the Rill. |
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