Southern Water were condemned today by the Island’s MP Andrew Turner for going ahead with the controversial removal of a disused water outfall pipe at Seaview despite concerns being raised about their proposals more than three weeks ago. Southern Water had already removed one of the redundant pipes and planned to remove the other at the end of last week. Tony Williams, Chairman of the Vectis Fishing and Boating Club raised the issue with Mr Turner during his mobile summer surgery last week. Mr Williams called the pipes a ‘mecca of biodiversity and marine life’ and described the many varieties of fish and crustaceans that sheltered around them. He had been trying to find out more about Southern Water’s plans for three weeks without success.

Mr Turner raised the issue with Southern Water and asked them why they had not consulted the public about their plans which affected a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Solent Marine Special Area of Conservation protected under the Natura 2000 programme.

Southern Water claimed that the work was being carried out for safety reasons on the advice of ‘consultants’, but when asked for documents that supported that assertion they failed to produce any. They also claimed that the work was being carried out on advice received from ‘specialists’ and that they had carried out an ‘environmental survey’. However, when they were asked for these documents by Mr Turner, they failed to respond and proceeded with the work regardless.

Mr Turner said :

“Southern Water appear to think they are above being questioned by the public and can do exactly as they want. Mr Williams tried for three weeks to get information from them by asking perfectly reasonable questions – they simply ignored him. I was alerted to the situation just before the work was due to start. I asked Southern Water why there was no public consultation on their plans and for copies of the documents they said they had taken into consideration. I also asked them to delay starting the work until I had an opportunity to consider the documents. They didn’t even have the courtesy to respond before starting the work.

“It is not as if this work was particularly urgent – apparently they have sat on this report for four years. So if there was a danger to the public, as they claimed, they clearly weren’t taking it very seriously. I am particularly angered by the fact that they wouldn’t even delay starting the work for a fortnight so that Mr Williams’ questions could be answered. If his concerns had been followed up originally, it would have been possible to investigate before the work began.

“I am writing to the Secretary of State to ensure that this matter is properly investigated.”