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Environment Agency draws up new plan for Canal Walk depot
THE Environment Agency has applied to Test Valley Borough Council for planning permission to replace its depot in Romsey with another building.
The aim is to provide improved facilities for around 40 staff, a more efficient service to the local community and an environmentally superior building.
It will mean an increase on the present 24 jobs at the Romsey depot which, the Agency said in a statement, is ideally placed between the New Forest and the Test Valley with good road links north and south whilst also lying on a main rail link.
Enhancing the services at his location will enable teams that deal with incidents such as pollution and flooding to respond quickly to these emergencies.
The new scheme, a spokesperson explained, is "completely different" from a controversial application which was lodged in 2006 to re-locate the Agency's 160 area staff from Colden Common to the Romsey depot off Canal Walk.
That caused a storm of protest and when the number of objections soared to 198, the application was withdrawn at the end of January, 2007.
Jim Barker, the Agency's planning and corporate services manager for Solent and South Downs, said: "The proposed building will be the same size as the current one but will enable us to move some of our teams here so that they are closer to the area they are working to improve and protect.
"Whether dealing with a fish kill or flooding, time is precious and can have a huge impact on the seriousness of the incident. In Romsey there are many sluices and flood control structures which require frequent inspection and maintenance. Having a depot near to these will ensure the immediate response that is essential in times of high flow and weed cutting periods when blockages can easily occur."
Redevelopment, he said, would provide an opportunity to provide a superior building designed with energy efficiency in mind.
Solar heating will be provided, rainwater will be harvested and reused, lighting will only come on when needed and a heating solution that uses natural heat from the ground is being researched.
Mr Barker continued: "There are some really exciting environmental opportunities with upgrading this depot. The location of the depot also makes it incredibly convenient for our staff to cycle or use public transport.
"If we get the go ahead, this will be an industrial building that will not only provide new and improved facilities for our staff but one that we hope will lead the way in environmental performance, setting an example to others and helping to protect our environment."
2:32pm Thursday 25th September 2008
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CommentPosted by: Mellow, Wellow on 3:24pm Thu 25 Sep 08
Perhaps a building with "stealth" design capability can be approved to match the invisible teams that fail to carry out their remit to "deal with incidents such as pollution and flooding to respond quickly to these emergencies"
Perhaps a building with "stealth" design capability can be approved to match the invisible teams that fail to carry out their remit to "deal with incidents such as pollution and flooding to respond quickly to these emergencies"
Posted by: Romsey-pedestrian, Romsey on 10:21am Thu 9 Oct 08
The application will cause a significant increase in vehicle movements through a narrow tunnel which is a major artery for pedestrians and cyclists. No improvements are to be made here and safety of pedestrians has not been considered. This is bad for Romsey and a move to an industrial estate is the only sensible answer for the Environment Agency.
The application will cause a significant increase in vehicle movements through a narrow tunnel which is a major artery for pedestrians and cyclists. No improvements are to be made here and safety of pedestrians has not been considered. This is bad for Romsey and a move to an industrial estate is the only sensible answer for the Environment Agency.
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