Progress - Current
Current works and activities...
Site Clearance Works
As the planning process continues, you may have noticed works being carried out along the boundary of the Avenue site. VSD Avenue are carrying out these fence installation works as the first phase of a site clearance program. This program is required to protect the existing animal population in advance of the main remediation works. In phase two, the great crested newts and grass snakes are captured and relocated to safe alternative habitats to the south of the site. Later on this year, the phase three works involve taking down the regenerated scrub and trees, this will reduce the risk of delay to the project caused by birds nesting next Spring.
Reclamation of the Rail Sidings
In January 2005, work began on reclaiming and landscaping the former rail sidings area. This area of land stretches south for about 1km from Mill Lane to Bridge Street and was the route of the old rail sidings, via which, coal was transported to the Avenue coke ovens.
Landscaping and structural engineering works are now complete and the area has been transformed, creating public bridleway access suitable for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders alike. Wheelchair access is provided, along with parking areas and pastures of grazing land for livestock. Currently, two Highland cattle and five hebridean sheep are grazing on the pastures.
The River Rother and Redleadmill Brook have also been remodelled to provide wetland habitat for water voles and other aquatic wildlife.
The Avenue Washlands Nature Reserve was officially open on Friday 3rd August 2007.
For more photos of when the works were in progress, please view the following documents.....
Rail Sidings East Progress 01-12-05
Rail Sidings East Progress 06-09-05
Rail Sidings East Progress 04-05-06
Wetlands Habitat Creation
Works have been carried out to the south of the Avenue site.
Earthworks have taken place between Mill Lane and the Tupton water treatment plant.
We have created a wetlands habitat that is now open to the public.
We have completed the works now, so that water voles (a protected schedule 1 species) that will be disturbed when the main remediation works take place in the floodplain, can be relocated.
This nature reserve is also suitable for and has encouraged various species of birds, particularly waterfowl and wading birds.
This nature reserve is also suitable for and has encouraged various species of birds, particularly waterfowl and wading birds.
The first phase of work was completed in March 2005. The second phase of work, which included planting and new access was completed early this year.
For more photos, please view the following documents.....
Air monitoring
The previous owners of the site carried out air monitoring both on and off-site. This has been continued and expanded by emda to ensure complete compliance with safety standards and to allay the concerns of local residents. Bureau Veritas (formerly Casella Stanger) has been appointed to undertake this work over the lifetime of the project. New equipment has been established on site and the off-site equipment has been updated.
The previous owners of the site carried out air monitoring both on and off-site. This has been continued and expanded by emda to ensure complete compliance with safety standards and to allay the concerns of local residents. Bureau Veritas (formerly Casella Stanger) has been appointed to undertake this work over the lifetime of the project. New equipment has been established on site and the off-site equipment has been updated.
Water Treatment Works
Rainwater that accumulates on the top of the Lagoon 2 contains many different pollutants that have either run-off the adjacent waste tip or leached out of the lagoon itself. In order to prevent the water level building up and flowing over the lagoon wall, water from the lagoon is removed on an almost continuous basis. During the rainy season, approximately 3,000 m3 of water must be removed every month to control the water level. To dispose of the water at a waste treatment facility would be a major operation and prohibitively expensive. Therefore, early on in the project it was decided that it would be safer and more cost effective to treat the water on site so that it can be discharged to the foul sewer with the consent of Yorkshire Water. In order to meet the strict standards imposed by Yorkshire Water a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was built at the Avenue site to treat the water to an acceptable level. The WWTP was designed to use both physical and chemical treatment methods to remove metals, destroy pollutants such as cyanides and filter out harmful chemicals commonly found in tars and creosote. Once treated, the water flows through a weir where the flow rate is monitored and samples are collected automatically by a sampling device. Water samples from within the WWTP are collected and analysed twice a week to make sure the WWTP is working properly. Samples of water are also collected routinely, by site staff and independently by Yorkshire Water staff, to make sure that water going to the sewer contains acceptable levels of pollutants.
Rainwater that accumulates on the top of the Lagoon 2 contains many different pollutants that have either run-off the adjacent waste tip or leached out of the lagoon itself. In order to prevent the water level building up and flowing over the lagoon wall, water from the lagoon is removed on an almost continuous basis. During the rainy season, approximately 3,000 m3 of water must be removed every month to control the water level. To dispose of the water at a waste treatment facility would be a major operation and prohibitively expensive. Therefore, early on in the project it was decided that it would be safer and more cost effective to treat the water on site so that it can be discharged to the foul sewer with the consent of Yorkshire Water. In order to meet the strict standards imposed by Yorkshire Water a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was built at the Avenue site to treat the water to an acceptable level. The WWTP was designed to use both physical and chemical treatment methods to remove metals, destroy pollutants such as cyanides and filter out harmful chemicals commonly found in tars and creosote. Once treated, the water flows through a weir where the flow rate is monitored and samples are collected automatically by a sampling device. Water samples from within the WWTP are collected and analysed twice a week to make sure the WWTP is working properly. Samples of water are also collected routinely, by site staff and independently by Yorkshire Water staff, to make sure that water going to the sewer contains acceptable levels of pollutants.
