Work on Stanton Cross temporary sewage pipe DELAYED as Anglian Water looks to fix 'unforeseen obstacles' on Wellingborough estate

Work on the overground sewage pipe on Wellingborough’s Stanton Cross estate has been delayed.

The £1bn Stanton Cross development has been subjected to a large, unsavoury, but temporary overground sewage pipe since late 2022.

Despite anticipating that work would be ‘concluded by the end of March’ in an update given in February, Anglian Water now insists that it is ‘on the engineering home stretch’, and will conclude relining pipes in mid-late April, before an approximate week-long dismantling of the temporary system.

An Anglian Water spokesman told the Northants Telegraph: “Ise Valley overland pipes will be removed by the start of May.

“The repair itself has been challenging and we encountered many unforeseen obstacles once we excavated under the ground, and needed to work carefully around other utilities.

"We have communicated fully with residents throughout this process and advised on the 13th March that there will be a slight delay with the removal of the pipe.

"We estimate that the dismantling [of the pipe] will take just over a week.”

The consensus among residents of the development is that the work is inconvenient, but ultimately important.

Speaking about the recent delay Darren Michael, a Stanton Cross homeowner, said: “I do feel like it’s got too much negative press.

“I was strongly against [the temporary pipe], and made my position clear to Anglian Water.”

However, Darren conceded that the work is ‘a necessary evil’. He added: "I don’t want it next to my house, but if it’s a case of six months then so be it.”

In January, another resident told the Northants Telegraph: "We have people plowing up the front of our house to try and park to deliver things. It’s not great but I understand it needs to be done.”

The Anglian Water spokesman added: “We apologise for disruption to the residents and greatly appreciate their ongoing support and patience for what has been a difficult project right on their doorsteps.

"Their cooperation has meant we’ve been able to keep facilities running uninterrupted, and protect the wider environment.”

Mr Michael praised Anglian Water for its correspondence to keep residents updated as it looks to get Stanton Cross back to its best.

Repairs initially commenced in December 2022 after a leak was detected in the underground sewage works, and the complexity of the fix meant a 500m overground pipe was installed in just nine days to ensure that the system could continue uninterrupted.

In February, an Anglian Water spokesman said: "We plan to rehabilitate the existing pipe using a method called sewer relining. The innovative technology means we will install a new robust lining to the inside of the pipe, essentially a ‘pipe within a pipe’, allowing us to minimise further disruption for the local residents, and ensure the integrity of the pipes for years to come.”

Anglian Water has provided a comprehensive video explainer of the work being carried out, documenting what went wrong, and how the repairs will ensure that the pipe lasts ‘for decades’.

The Stanton Cross developments have caused quite a stir among locals, with the felling of trees on the much-loved 'Wellingborough Walks’ to make way for a new road to the estate being met with strong opposition.

Furthermore, the work has caught the concern of Wellingborough Whitworth FC, which sent a letter of objection to North Northamptonshire Council after it was discovered that Stanton Cross plans would encroach on its playing areas.