SOUTH Craven residents fighting to prevent wide scale development claim a drainage survey confirms their fears that the area's sewerage system cannot cope with more houses.

Drainage engineer Chris Wotherspoon, who conducted a study into Keighley's high and low level sewers, has reported that Silsden cannot cope with more development.

In his 25,000-word report, he said sections of the system in Silsden could not accommodate all the proposed developments without improvement works.

South Craven residents have been campaigning for the housing sites identified in City Hall's unitary development plan to be put on hold until the state of the sewerage system is known.

The main sewage pipe for Silsden, Steeton and Eastburn runs along the route of the Aire Valley Trunk Road and takes effluent to the Marley Treatment Works just outside Keighley.

Residents argued this sewerage system was already failing and that during heavy rainfall the pipe could not cope with the extra water, and sent raw sewage to the surface.

In an attempt to solve the situation, Bradford Council appointed Babtie, an independent firm of consulting engineers, to carry out a review.

Janet Mitchell, of Silsden Town Action Group, said the report confirmed the group's long-held beliefs about the sewerage situation.

"Silsden's sewage system needs investment before any building goes ahead. We have been right all along that the system just cannot cope with anymore development. Large scale development is out of the question and neither should there be any piecemeal building on smaller plots."

Steeton resident John Walker, told the Herald that although the report admitted there were flooding problems in the area, it had not recognised the need to stop development in Steeton.

He said: "Mr Wotherspoon agrees with what we have been saying all along that there are problems with the sewerage system.

"However, he goes on to say that what is happening in the Keighley and Craven area is happening everywhere in the country and is acceptable.

"How can it be acceptable when raw sewage is coming out of manhole covers and flooding the area on regular occasions? People's properties are also being flooded.

"He is saying more housing development can continue and I think this is a terrible position. If the infrastructure is inadequate, development should stop."

Coun Phil Thornton, Bradford's deputy executive member for transportation and planning, said officers were now studying the report.

He added: "I know residents have been unhappy with the way Yorkshire Water has dealt with the problems and I share their concerns.

"The report confirms the council's view that there are problems with the drainage system but there are no easy answers how to resolve this."

He said the report's conclusion was that the system could generally cope but there were a number of problems, which had resulted in homes flooding.

There was area flooding where fields and gardens were affected and Yorkshire Water had set targets to reduce flooding in homes but not for area flooding

"At Silsden, Yorkshire Water has accepted that improvements to sewers would need to be considered if further development takes place.

"Elsewhere in the low level system and in the high level system there is no reason to prevent further development," he added.

Anyone wishing to comment should write to Coun Thornton at Jacob's Well, Bradford, by March 17. The council will consider the report and comments at the Keighley area planning panel on April 13 at Keighley Town Hall.

The report is available at council planning offices in Keighley and Bradford and there are reference copies at Keighley and Silsden libraries.

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