Underground heating pipe repair works scheduled for Daffodil Close

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by residents at Daffodil Close in Blackhall Colliery concerned about steaming hot water surfacing through an inspection hatch next to one of the homes leaving the grassed area around it discoloured.

I contacted Believe Housing who sent out an engineer to identify the problem, which turned out to have been caused by a fractured water pipe running underneath the road through the estate. Engineers then arranged to carry out initial works to assess the extent of the damage and the impact it might have on residents in the area, mainly at Daffodil Close and Primrose Court. 

I made enquires yesterday to check on progress and I have now received notification from engineers that extensive excavation and repair works are scheduled to commence this coming Thursday, 23 July. 

I’ve reproduced the correspondence below in full: 

Hello Councillor Crute, 

The asbestos survey of the heating pipes in the area of the leak revealed no asbestos. The risk assessments and method statements for the works have been submitted for checking by believe housing health and safety section. If these are ok then works are programmed in to start Thursday 23^rd July. A contingency plan will be put into place as the heating flow and return will be turned off for the communal heating. 

This will affect all external property’s associated with the external heating. The nature of the work involves excavating and repairing of the existing heating pipes, we must consider this will disrupt heating and hot water for a number of days. 

Given the extensive and potentially disruptive nature of the works to be carried out I’ve asked that all necessary mitigation measures be put in place prior to works commencing on Thursday.