Work is underway to create entrances and work areas for the Anglian Water pipeline that is crossing through the Etton Maxey reserve.
The work – at the southern end next to the Maxey Cut – is to create a working compound for the construction of a ‘trenchless crossing’.
It will involve drilling and installing the pipes under the Etton Maxey road and the Cut.
The initial work entails the creation of an entry over the ditch/hedgerow gap, then making a large cleared area with a stone base – similar to the compounds on the other side of the Maxey-Northborough Road at the reserve NE corner and also Helpston Road Glinton.
This will be followed by site access construction at the car park and north end trenchless compound. Similar access and compound construction work will also take place on other properties south of Maxey Cut (entrance opposite the NW corner of Etton High Meadow, by the Green Wheel path) and to the East of Etton village.
The operational drilling stage will start later in October/November at the south end. The equivalent drilling of the north end crossing is planned for November/December.
The trenchless areas will be secured with fencing. A small car park area (with secure anytime access for LCT volunteers) will be made at the south end.
The main pipeline route will be fenced in Sept/Oct with a stockproof fence all the way down, followed by topsoil stripping and embanking (as seen N of Maxey Road crossing) before the main pipe stringing in March/April 2024 and pipe laying sometime before July 2024!
Despite the construction, work to maintain the rest of the reserve will continue and the turtle dove feeding will be continued for a second year. Some disruption due to construction traffic can be expected.
Planning and agreeing the details of the restoration will be next task which Langdyke will be involved in.