PROS:
Q & M (South Woking) | J (North of Woking) |
It has the lowest amount of streetworks when compared to other corridors on the shortlist. | This corridor is preferred by ESSO as it closely follows existing pipeline so technically easier to deliver. |
It avoids the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area, except at Worplesdon where the western extent of Whitmoor Common Site of Special Scientific Interest and Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area are within the corridor. | This corridor has greatest potential to take advantage of existing infrastructure and offers greatest potential to build upon the existing relationships we have with current landowners. |
It has the least potential for impact on built-up areas. | This corridor is the shortest northern corridor at 69.2km (43.25 miles) long. It passes under 27 major features, including the M3, M25, the A31, A287, A323, A327, A325, A322, A30, A308, the Basingstoke-Waterloo and Ascot-Guildford railway lines, the Rivers Thames and Wey canals and a substantial number of minor roads in Ashford (Corridor J has 30). |
It has the least risk of impact on Common Land.
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This corridor has greatest potential to take advantage of existing infrastructure and offers greatest potential to build upon the existing relationships we have with current landowners. |
It is also likely to have the shortest installation programme. | |
There is generally less installation in areas of floodplain when compared to Option M and Option Q. | |
The majority of this corridor follows the existing pipeline and, in these locations, buried archaeological remains are likely to have already been disturbed. The corridor, therefore, has fewer heritage constraints than Option M and Option Q. | |
This corridor does not pass through any nationally designated landscapes as it avoids both the South Downs National Park and Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It therefore has fewer landscape constraints than Option M and Option Q. | |
Potential impacts to Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area could be minimised by timing works outside the bird breeding season (February to September), although this would not necessarily avoid potential impacts to the associated Site of Special Scientific Interest. |
CONS:
Q & M (South Woking) | J (North of Woking) |
There is considerable complexity of installing the pipeline in the Wey floodplain. | New housing developments around Farnborough built since the original pipeline was built between 1969 & 1972. |
Recently 33kv cabling was put along the Pyrford stretch of Pyrford Road which due to other utilities meant the contractor had difficulty in finding space. | It is near land actively used by the Ministry of Defence. |
There is potential for temporary disruption to local communities. | There is potential for temporary disruption to local communities. |
Ancient woodland, hedgerows, sunken lane banks and undiscovered archaeological features could be at risk. | There is impact on valued natural features. |
It passes under 30 major features, including the M3, M25, the A31, A287, A323, A327, A325, A322, A30, A308, the Byfleet and New Haw railway line, the West Byfleet railway and Chertsey branch railway, the Rivers Thames and Wey canals and a substantial number of minor roads | |
It is close to a large number of designated heritage assets including Grade I and II* listed buildings and scheduled monuments (e.g. Waverley Abbey, a Romano-Celtic temple complex west of Long Common, and Woking Palace). This corridor does not follow the existing pipeline and thus there may be a greater risk of disturbing buried archaeological remains. | |
It includes three conservation areas (Pierrepont, the Wey Navigation and the Wey and Godalming Conservation Areas) that could be difficult to avoid. | |
It has greater water concerns than Option J, as it has numerous interactions with main rivers and floodplains (Flood Zone 3) and passes through one Source Protection Zone 2 at Shepperton. (In our three villages this in the section from Old Woking to Pyrford & in West Byfleet/Byfleet where it intends to go under M25). | |
It passes through the South Downs National Park. It slightly encroaches on the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, although the careful design of a route within this corridor could avoid this feature. Overall, this corridor has greater landscape concerns than Option J. |