ONE of Wimborne Minster’s main public car parks could suffer months of disruption when major Wessex Water works get underway.

The utility company is planning a for new underground storage beneath the Allenview Car Park South with new pipework to cross the Pippin Stream as part of its foul water system upgrade for the town.

A temporary access to the 300-space car park from Hanham Road is expected to be needed with an existing small bridge on the approach road to the car park likely to be demolished and replaced with a stronger structure.

An engineering report suggests that the bridge, which carries two lanes of traffic on the approach to the car park, has developed cracks and is no longer considered strong enough for the future use of heavy vehicles, including the 42-tonne tanker lorries used by Wessex Water.

Tourist coaches and council refuse vehicles also use the parking area as well as school bus services.

Wessex Water says that, at the moment, there is no firm timeline for the works which are still being discussed with Dorset Council, highways, and others.

Said a Wessex Water spokesperson: “As part of our continuing drive to ensure the sewer system in Wimborne remains in a robust state to cope with increasing demands, we’re reviewing our capacity in this area and discussing with the local planning authority as to how any such essential work may be accommodated.

“Once these plans are finalised we’ll be writing to customers and businesses locally about how such a project may impact the local area, well in advance of any work getting under way.’’ Reports from the water company exploring the best way of carrying out the proposals say the extra capacity in the sewer network in Wimborne is needed to cope with population growth including the recent Bloor Homes developments.

Phase one of the work, with a new underground pumping station off Cranborne Road, has already been completed with the Allenview proposals making up the second phase Said an advisory report: “Wessex Water will be increasing the capacity of the sewer network in Wimborne to allow for population expansion to the north of the town which involves building a new underground storage shaft in Allenview South car-park with new pipework beneath the bridge crossing the Pippin Stream, a temporary access from Hanham Road during construction, a temporary ramp in the car-park and replacement of the bridge over Pippin Stream to ensure future load-bearing capacity for Wessex Water's future maintenance vehicles and future access to the car and coach park.”

Said the water company: “New pipework (rising main and foul water sewer) is required beneath the Pippin Stream and underneath the bridge culvert to connect the proposed storage shaft in the carpark to the existing sewage. The only safe method for installation of these new pipes, approx. 900mm below the watercourse, is to remove the bridge first. If Wessex Water laid the pipes beneath the watercourse without removing the bridge first, it would lead to severe structural damage to the bridge, making it unsafe to cross.

The construction method of pipe laying will necessitate careful demolition and subsequent replacement of the bridge.”

Concerns have been expressed about the bridge for a number of year with gauges installed in 2018 to measure any movement in the cracks which were already growing.

Dozens of car parking spaces are expected to be taken out of use while the work on the bridge and the creation of the storage shaft takes place.

Discussions with Dorset Council planners have centred around how much of the works can be carried out using what is known as permitted development rights, with the conclusion that most of the project is likely to be able to go ahead without the need for formal planning consent.