THAMES Water is still planning to build two sewage store tanks on Queen Elizabeth Drive, in Taw Hill, despite fierce opposition from locals and politicians.

The company have written a letter to all residents outlining their proposals. They are hoping to build the tanks on Queen Elizabeth Drive to cope with excess sewage during heavy rain and to cater to the growing number of houses in the area.

However, the plan has been met with opposition from residents, councillors and the local MP who say the plans will create more issues than they solve.

Thames Water, in their letter, said the company is “revisiting and reviewing options that we previously discounted.

“Although it is unlikely that we will be able to move the storage tanks, we will discuss our proposals with Swindon Borough Council,” the company added.

The £4m proposal involves putting a 1,000 cubic-metre tank on the south of Queen Elizabeth Drive and a smaller 500 cubic-metre tank on the north. Both will store waste water underground when sewers are full.

The company have also proposed to build a lay-by at the south site and an access road on the north site to allow vehicles maintaining the tanks to park.

No formal planning application has been put forward.

Residents, who all accept the need for an increase in sewage capacity, have presented the company with an alternative option to build the tanks away from houses in Mouldon Hill.

Residents fear raw sewage could be transported past houses as the tanks are emptied, blanketing the neighbourhood with the stench. Building the tanks could also take up to a year.

Thames Water’s letter, dated after a meeting with residents and officials, said the site was chosen as it had the least impact on the environment and would be the least disruptive to the local area of several options it started looking at three years ago.

Many of the residents disagree with this claim.

Brian McLean, 57, who lives in Queen Elizabeth Drive, said: “If they started the planning in 2010, why did we just hear about it now? There is so much they have said which just don’t ring true.

“We have only heard one idea from them and the letter does not give reasons why the other plans have been discounted.”

Coun Toby Elliot (Con, Priory Vale) says the company are due to report back to Swindon North MP Justin Tomlinson shortly.

Coun Elliot said he will refer the plans to the planning committee if they have not changed.

“It looks like they have tried to steam roller the plans through without consideration for the residents,” he said.