TEMPORARY CESSATION OF TBC ACCESS TO THE RECLAMATION POND

[Jamie]

from the front page:-


Impetus Reclamation Limited have informed the Club that they intend to start work on the infilling of the first three phases of the Reclamation Pond on Monday 4th October 2010. On and from this date there will be strictly no access to the Reclamation Pond by vehicle or on foot, nor will there be any access to the mound bordering the western side. Large earthmoving machinery will be employed over the next few months to move thousands of cubic metres of material to form the development platform for two new energy plants, one by Eon (formerly the Thor site) and the other by Air Products Limited (an energy from waste plant). The site will be subject to the 'Construction(Design and Management) Regulations 2007' and as such will be very strictly controlled for Health and Safety reasons. Impetus have stated that they are having to deny access simply because of risks to members and they cannot have people accessing the site when large machinery is in operation. Even official operational staff visiting the site will have to sign in and out and have H & S inductions, as the work will be so dangerous. The 'red line' for the limit of the CDM Regulations will be the base of the mound on the west (Dormans Pool) side, which means that members will not be permitted to climb up the mound and view the Reclamation Pond from the top. Signs will be put up warning of this. Impetus have made it quite clear that there is to be no flexibility or leniency in view of the high risk nature of the works and any member transgressing the ban will significantly risk the Club losing its future access to the residual Reclamation Pond and its current access to Dormans Pool. This restriction is expected to be in place for 2-3 months, after which access will be resumed to TBC members to the remaining water body. The site has been jointly inspected by Impetus, Natural England and RSPB to ensure that it is 'safe' to commence work from a bird point of view. During the ban, TBC members may still access Dormans Pool upper and lower car parks as normal.

Impetus have assured us that the written agreement made with TBC under the former Thor project to provide a new hide and access track at the Reclamation Pond and a new hide and the resurfacing of the access tracks at Dormans Pool will be honoured and will probably be undertaken while machinery is on site as the development platform is constructed.

Members will recall from past Newsletters that this day was always going come and, in fact, should have commenced in 2008 but was postponed for financial reasons. Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has earmarked the Reclamation Pond as development land for heavy industrial use and, despite the Club's earlier opposition, it was realised that there was nothing we could do to prevent it, so the next best alternative was to secure as much environmental gain as possible. In this pursuit, we believe we have been successful.

It cannot be overstated how important it is for members to honour this temporary ban. If there are any transgressions then we are at serious risk of having our Access Licence Agreement terminated for good. Please pass this information on to other members who you know visit the site.

[Jamie]

Attached it a map of the works on the Rec Pond. The area we are not allowed in has a red line round it

[DaveBritton]

I was at Dormans Pool a few days ago and there were no signs warning you not to climb the mound to view the Reclamation Pond. Fortunately, I had seen the web site announcement but others may not have done so. A sign at the bottom of the mound by the easy climb route (where you park your car) is clearly needed.

[Ted Parker]

Impetus Reclamation Limited assured the Club that, from the outset, they would erect signs at the base of the mound on the Dormans Pool side warning of no access but, as Dave notes, they haven't done this yet so I have contacted the company to remind them of their obligations in order to avoid any ill-informed trespassing.

[Ted Parker]

Following a request by TBC, a sign has recently been erected at Dormans Pool which I think is misleading.  Impetus's contractors are currently working on the infilling of the first 3 phases of the Reclamation Pond and the site is subject to the CDM Regulations (Health & Safety).  Although the sign makes reference to CDM control and 'no access', members are reminded that they are allowed to proceed to the upper car park to view Dormans Pool but under no circumstances should they climb the mound to view the Reclamation Pond or access the latter site by foot or vehicle.