Thames Water’s announcement that it wants to keep its super sewer on the foreshore of a Shadwell park has been described as a “blow” by campaigners.

The water company announced its preferred worksites for its �3.6billion Thames Tunnel last Friday, including the foreshore of King Edward Memorial Park (KEMP).

The SaveKEMP group had hoped an alternative option at the nearby Heckford Trading Estate would be selected.

But the group said it would still battle the plans as a second consultation period opened on Friday.

Toni Davey, SaveKEMP’s community liaison officer, said: “The outcome of the phase one consultation is a blow but it won’t deter us.

“Heckford Street was Thames Water’s alternative option, not ours, but we’re disappointed it’s been lumped together with options that were never going to happen and that no alternative brownfield site is being proposed.

“During phase two, we are going to make sure that they hear, listen and understand.”

The plans would now build four ventilation towers of up to five and six metres on the foreshore instead of the previous proposal to create a 15 metre high tower.

Thames Water want to connect the current sewer overflow to the tunnel.

Phil Stride, the head of London Tideway Tunnels at Thames Water, said the company has reduced the size of the construction site and changed the access route to Glamis Road to minimise disruption.

Mr Stride said: “We have listened carefully to feedback about KEMP.

“The revised proposal, using the foreshore site as opposed to the Heckford Street option reduces the lorry movements on the local road by two thirds, from 6,000 down to 2,000, and avoids the need to demolish an existing business park.”

Thames Water also proposed that Chambers Wharf, a riverside brownfield site in Bermondsey, replace King’s Stairs Gardens park in Rotherhithe as a worksite.

The second consultation runs for 14 weeks.

Visit www.thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk for details.