WORK on controversial sewage works in Haydon End is progressing slightly ahead of schedule.

Thames Water is in the process of installing two tanks off Queen Elizabeth Drive, which they say will help ease flooding in the area and increase the capacity of the system ahead of development in the area.

Residents complained about the disruption which would be caused during construction and its long term impact on the area and said the tanks were not needed.

Work began on the northern site in March and the shaft in which the tank will go is almost completely dug. Preparations on the second site, near the southern entrance road, are also under way.

Thames Water spokeswoman Becky Trotman said: “The northern shaft is 70 to 80 per cent complete. By the Monday, the excavation will be complete, which is two weeks ahead of schedule.

“We are currently preparing to begin work at the southern site due to the good progress being made so far.

“The current programme of works runs until the beginning of December. “We plan to use the northern site as a staging area for the southern site due to space limitations.

“Therefore we will have a presence in both locations until the end. “However we are progressing well and are aiming to beat our programme.

“As we’re finishing work in December, it will not be the right time of year for seeding and planting so we’ll be waiting until early 2015 to begin returning the site to its original look.

“ We’ll be done by the spring when we aim to have both areas looking even better than they did before we arrived.”