An at-a-glance guide

Entrances to the Etton Maxey reserve will be closed and new ones created as Anglian Water performs pipeline work across a large area of land.
The work will take at least two years and entails

the creation of three work compounds

large lengths of pipeline

hedgerows and trees being ripped out

and interior fences being erected

The work is part of a major project which will affect large areas of farmland across the area to install a new water supply …,

Updated … The work on the reserve is currently on hold

TIMELINE – a guide to the work on the Etton Maxey reserve so far … with details of what’s to come

… October 2023

The previous car park entrance into the reserve is now closed and fencing has been placed along the whole of the reserve parallel with the Etton Maxey road to allow contractors to work safely.

Visitors to the reserve now need to use a new pedestrian gate entrance at the southern (Etton end) of the reserve next to the Maxey Cut. A path has been cut from the gate to guide visitors around the new fencing.

The reserve is still open to members and will remain so throughout the work which could take up to two years.

September 2023

An entrance has been created at the southern end of the reserve (next to the Maxey Cut) to create a compound for the ‘trenches crossing’ which involves drilling under the Maxey Cut and the Etton Maxey road to insert the pipeline.

August – 2023

An area has been created at EMP for field Bindweed used by the four-spotted moth

Areas of Field Bindweed which were threatened by the line of the pipework have been moved into a special area at the southern end of the Etton Maxey reserve in the hope of allowing the rare four-spotted moth to continue to survive on the reserve. The moth is on the wing between May and August and flies from dusk into the night. The larvae feed on field Bindweed and prefer the buds of flowers.

May-June-July – 2023

Eighteen metres of hedgerow has been removed at South End (Main Road after Maxey Cut) and North End (Maxey Road adjacent to Main Road junction) . Construction fencing and a new gate has been installed with screening (also in the car park area). South end access will be maintained but may be moved Test drilling taking part on the site.

First signs of the work on Etton Maxey Reserve. Trees and hedgerow have been removed at both the north and south ends.

WHEN WORK RESUMES

Further works entrances will be created for access to both the northern (Maxey road end) and and the car park area (this will be the main works access). Existing car park and other entrances will be closed for about two years.

A cross-sectional diagram showing how the pipeline will be placed on the reserve

Corridor

A working corridor will be created at the south end from the car park to the Maxey Cut boundary – topsoil stripped will be stripped off and re-located in a bund, a working compound area constructed for the underground trench-less drilling and a road for lorries and other equipment created

A working corridor will be created at the north end from the car park to the Maxey Road boundary – topsoil will be stripped off and re-located in a bund, compound work area to receive the trench-less drilling machine and road for lorries and other equipment constructed

Trench

A trench will be drilled from farmland on the Etton Road under both the road and the Maxey Cut into the south of the reserve. Water pipes to be stored on the reserve and strung together ready to be pulled through to the drilling site. Work expected to take about six weeks

A trench will be drilled from farmland on the side of the Maxey Road under the road and into the north of the reserve. Water pipes stored on the reserve and strung together ready to be pulled through to the drilling site. Work expected to take about six weeks

Pipe-laying

A steel pipe will be delivered to the reserve and strung out across entire length north to south. Pipe sections will be welded together. Work expected to take about a week

Pipe connection

A trench will be dug across entire north-south section of the reserve. Pipe work having been connected is then laid. Expected to take about four weeks

Re-filling trenches

Trenches will be re-filled with soils from the bunds created during the working process. Anglian Water will be taking drone aerial shots of the reserve as it was when work started and trying to restore as closely to the original as possible

Re-instatement

Re-instatement of current access points to the reserve, post commissioning works and any further re-instatement work that is needed including access gates, car parking areas, sheep pens and bridge crossings. Anglian Water say this cannot happen until the full project is completed with the full pipeline in place all the way to Bexwell, Suffolk.