Hammersmith Pumping Station

We need a work site in the Hammersmith area to construct the main tunnel of the proposed Thames Tunnel project. We also need to connect the local combined sewer overflow (CSO), known as Hammersmith Pumping Station, to the main tunnel. We are currently proposing to use a vacant area of Hammersmith Embankment next to our Hammersmith Pumping Station for this construction work and to accommodate the permanent structures required to operate the tunnel.
At present, the combined sewer overflows along the River Thames discharge untreated sewage directly into the river. This occurs because Londons mainly Victorian sewerage system, which was designed to transport both wastewater (sewage) and storm water (rainfall), is at or near capacity. Some CSOs discharge untreated sewage into the River Thames on average more than once a week and after only 2mm of rainfall. This situation is likely to become worse in the future, due to population growth and increased urbanisation. The discharge of untreated sewage into the River Thames is harmful to the environment. It reduces river water quality, harms the aquatic life, causes unsightly litter and increases the risks to health for users of the River Thames. Starting in west London and broadly following the path of the River Thames through the centre of the capital, the Thames Tunnel would transfer the flows from the most polluting CSOs to Beckton Sewage Treatment Works in the east of the city. The need for construction sites We need a significant number of sites to construct the Thames Tunnel project. Large shaft sites are required at certain points along the route to allow the construction of the main tunnel. Smaller CSO sites are also required near each of the most polluting CSOs to connect them to the main tunnel. We have carried out a detailed site selection process to identify suitable sites for the construction of the main tunnel and connection of the CSOs. For more information see our project information paper Construction Sites. This has enabled us to identify our preferred sites along the route required for the construction and operation of the main tunnel and the connection of each of the CSOs.

Hammersmith Pumping Station

Thames Tunnel

Ordnance Survey Licence number 100019345. Crown Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.

Hammersmith Pumping Station showing preferred and previously considered sites

How we chose the preferred site A main tunnel reception shaft is required at the upstream, western end of the project. We shortlisted two possible sites to support construction of the main tunnel in this area, and three possible sites to connect the local CSO to the main tunnel. We assessed the suitability of each site by taking into account engineering, planning, environment, property and community considerations. From this process we identified Hammersmith Pumping Station as our preferred location (see map above). Shortlisted sites for constructing the main tunnel:
Site 1 St Pauls School playing fields

Site 2 Foreshore, adjacent to Chancellors Wharf

Shortlisted sites for connecting the local CSO to the main tunnel:

This site is located on an area of River Thames foreshore directly in front of properties at Chancellors Wharf.

Access by road is severely limited. Use of this site would also mean that we would need two work sites in this area one to construct the main tunnel and one to connect the local CSO to the tunnel, whereas our preferred site means that both of these activities can be combined on a single site.
Site 3 Frank Banfield Park

This site comprises part of the playing fields of St Pauls School, to the east of the main school buildings. Use of the site would result in the loss of playing fields and opens space for around seven years. The site is also a long way from the CSO, meaning that we would need an additional site near Hammersmith Pumping Station to connect the CSO to the main tunnel.

This site is located on an area of public open space known as Frank Banfield Park. Use of this site would have an adverse impact on the local community. The use of a brownfield site was considered preferable to the loss of public open space and amenity. The use of a site in the park would also mean that we would need two sites in this area one to construct the main tunnel and one to connect the local CSO to the tunnel, whereas our preferred site means that both of these activities can be combined at a single location.

Ordnance Survey Licence number 100019345. Crown Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.

Preferred site at Hammersmith Pumping Station showing use during construction

Our preferred site:

Hammersmith Pumping Station

The site also has good road access. The sites location adjacent to the existing Hammersmith Pumping Station would minimise the extent of the construction works and enable the permanent hard-standing required for operational access and maintenance to be combined with the existing pumping station. This would minimise the long-term visual intrusion of the works for local residents. Use of the preferred site during construction We would need to use the site for approximately seven years for the construction of the main tunnel and to connect the local CSO into the main tunnel, as well as driving a smaller diameter connection tunnel to the proposed Acton Storm Tanks CSO interception site. The plan above shows the amount of space we think we would need to carry out the construction works but as the design of the Thames Tunnel develops further this could change.

We have identified the vacant land next to Hammersmith Pumping Station as our preferred site because the use of this site allows us to combine the works to construct the main tunnel with those to connect the local CSO. The vacant site has sufficient space to accommodate an efficient working area covering about a third of its total area. Construction activities and the permanent structures required to operate the main tunnel would be located near our existing pumping station buildings and towards the western side of the site. Although the main work area is close to offices, this location would help reduce impact on the residential properties to the north side of Chancellors Road, and minimise the long-term impact on the majority of the site. The work site location is also further away from residential dwellings than the other possible sites considered for connection of the CSO to the main tunnel. Focussing our activities in this area would also help reduce any impact on Frank Banfield Park to the north-east, which is separated from the site by Distillery Road.

Ordnance Survey Licence number 100019345. Crown Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.

Hammersmith Pumping Station illustrative visualisation of completed project

For the main tunnel works, we would need to build a 25m-diameter circular shaft big enough to receive the machine used to construct this section of the main tunnel and take it out of the ground. Specific measures may be necessary to reduce the environmental effects of construction and we would welcome your views on the issues we should consider when developing our proposals. We will be presenting our more detailed proposals in our second round of consultation before the submission of planning applications. We propose that traffic would enter the site using an entrance on Chancellors Road and leave using Distillery Road, in order to reduce the potential impact on neighbours.

Permanent use of the site Some above-ground structures are likely to be required on this site after the construction work is finished. A ventilation column (approximately 15m high and 3m diameter) and a building (approximately 10m high, 12m wide and 20m long) would be required to provide ventilation and filtering of the air in the tunnel. As you can see in the visual above, these could potentially be housed within one structure. The area around these structures would be left as hard-standing to allow vehicle and pedestrian access for maintenance, but we could soften this with appropriate planting. Above is an example of how the site could look once construction has finished. As part of our public consultation we want to know your views on the permanent look and use of the site.

For further project information see our website: www.thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk or call us on 0845 366 2950