Move to end Seafield stench 'won't work'

RESIDENTS in Leith have said a multi-million-pound plan to tackle the notorious "Seafield stench" is doomed to fail, despite water bosses making "significant progress" with the scheme.

Scottish Water said its Odour Improvement Project at the Seafield Waste Water Treatment Works was coming along well, a year after construction first began.

The 20 million project began last year after years of complaints from local residents about the foul smell associated with the plant.

However, Rob Kirkwood, a spokesman for the Leith Links Residents Association, said industry experts had already told local campaigners the plan would not work.

He said: "Scottish Water are basically trying to do things on the cheap and cross their fingers. Despite the upgrade, the gases from Seafield will still not disperse in the air.

"It's been made clear that this plan will not work."

He said industry expert Professor Rob Jackson had told the city council that the only way to eradicate the smell would be to fully cover the areas of the plant producing the smell, a more expensive option.

Craig Carr, the project co-ordinator for Scottish Water, said: "This project is a priority for Scottish Water, Stirling Water and Veolia Water UK.

"It is important that we deliver a solution for our stakeholders and the wider Leith community. Significant progress has been made in the construction of the new inlet works and subsequent odour improvement programme and that will continue over the remaining months of the project construction.

"We continue to communicate with Leith Community Council, the Leith Links Residents Association and other community representatives and take any odour enquiries relating to the waste water treatment works very seriously."

He added: "There is still much work to be done and even once this significant investment has been completed it will be necessary to monitor the facility for a period."

Kenny MacAskill, the local MSP, added: "One year on, the upgrade of Seafield sewage works appears to be progressing well.

"As I have said before, the works will take time. However, in the long run, the upgrade will help to combat the stench that has long plagued the Seafield and Leith Links area."

Earlier this year campaigners dropped a 30m legal action against the operators of the facility to recover compensation for years living with the smell. The legal bid came unstuck when lawyers for local residents were unable to get copies of documents relating to the private companies which operate the plant.