by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter.
Works to reduce sewage overflows at Lulworth Cove will see a temporary construction compound set up in the village coach park over the winter.
Wessex Water will be using part of the Lulworth Castle Estate coach park, west of Main Road, West Lulworth, as a temporary site compound while it carries out works by the West Lulworth Sewage Pumping Station over an estimated 22 weeks from October.
The water company says the scheme is needed to reduce the frequency of overflows from an existing combined sewer overflow close to Lulworth Cove, which can discharge during extreme rainfall when the sewerage system reaches capacity.
The plans include a new 50 cubic metre below-ground stormwater storage tank, associated pipework, a vent pipe and new manhole covers. Wessex Water says the tank will temporarily store combined rainwater and sewage during heavy rainfall before releasing it back into the network at times of lower flow for treatment downstream, rather than allowing it to be released to the environment.
The underground storage tank works will be carried out under permitted development rights, but the temporary compound in the coach park required a planning application with Dorset Council agreeing the proposal. The compound will be used for storage of materials, plant and equipment, welfare facilities and parking for staff.
Documents submitted with the application say the compound would be confined to the existing coach parking area, which is seldom used outside the summer season. The rest of the main car park would remain open for visitors.
The proposed compound will include site cabins, welfare units, storage containers, skips, a generator, Heras security fencing and access gates. It will take up eight coach parking spaces and be in operation between 7.30am and 5pm on weekdays, with overnight parking for construction vehicles within the fenced area.
Traffic movements are expected to be limited to two to three cars a day, four to five small vans a day and an average of one to three large goods vehicle movements a day. The traffic management plan says vehicle marshals would be used when construction vehicles access or leave the compound, including for large vehicles reversing along Main Road to reach the working area.
The application says any visual impact from the compound would be minor and temporary, with no trees or hedgerows removed and no ground disturbance within the West Lulworth Conservation Area. Temporary lighting would be directed downwards and used only when needed during darker winter hours.
