Kennington Community Council visit to the Southern Waste Water Treatment Works

In 2020, following repeated complaints from residents over a wide area but particularly those living on the Little Burton Estate, Kennington Community Council established a Task & Finish Group to pursue action on the noxious smells coming from the Southern Water Wastewater Treatment Works in Kinney’s Lane and from lorries travelling through the area to the works. In September of that year, the Group requested a site meeting with Southern Water and Ashford Borough Council (ABC) who regulate the works. 

 

This prompted ABC to require a thirteen point Odour Management Plan of changes in work practices and investments costing £3.5m. By September 2021, the number of complaints received by ABC had dropped 91% over the previous year. This year it has fallen further a 75%.  

 

On 25 November, members of the Council Cllr John Seaton and Cllr Charles Ellis visited the site, along with the Clerk Deborah Prior, to see for themselves the improvements made. Mr Morley of Southern Water, Ashford Area Field Performance Manager explained the impact of each improvement. 

 

At the end of the tour, Cllr Seaton thanked Southern Water on behalf of the Council and expressed the Council’s strong desire to see maintenance levels kept up to the mark in coming years so that residents no longer have their lives ruined by noxious smells all summer long. 

 

By focused pressure on those concerned, Kennington Community Council has secured £3.5m of investments at no cost to its own Council budget.