Compton Parish Council submits formal response on foul water condition for the Compton development

Compton Parish Council has now submitted its formal response to West Berkshire Council regarding Condition 30 (Foul Water) for the new development at the former Institute for Animal Health site.

Residents will be aware that the foul water network in Compton has long been affected by groundwater infiltration, sewer surcharging, and tankering during high‑groundwater periods. Given the significance of this issue for the village, the Parish Council has taken independent professional advice to ensure the submission is technically robust and fully reflects local concerns.

What our response covers

The Parish Council’s submission provides:

• A summary of the current condition of the foul water network, including recent operational failures.
• Analysis of Thames Water’s Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) data, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities and the absence of improvement works.
• Evidence from the 2024/25 high‑groundwater winter, including tankering and sewage on the highway.
• A review of the applicant’s technical documents, identifying areas where Condition 30 has not been met.
• Confirmation that the Parish Council will continue to engage professional support as the matter progresses.

Read the full documents

Residents can read the full submission and supporting material here:

• Parish Council Response to Condition 30
• Thames Water’s original consultation response 2020
• Thames Water’s original consultation response 2022
• Thames Water Groundwater Impacted System Management Plan – Compton
• Professional Advice
• Copies of the complaint correspondence with West Berkshire Council
• Video evidence of sewer surcharges