Families campaigning to stop their park being used as a construction site for London’s proposed Thames Tideway ‘super sewer’ put up a life-size replica of one of the four proposed ventilation shafts to show what the scheme would be like.

East London Advertiser: 25ft mock-up of ventilation shaft in Shadwell's King Edward Park planned for London's 'super sewer' [picture: Mark Baynes]25ft mock-up of ventilation shaft in Shadwell's King Edward Park planned for London's 'super sewer' [picture: Mark Baynes] (Image: © 2011 Mark Baynes)

The campaigners are hoping to stop Thames Water building four towers 25ft high on the foreshore along Shadwell’s King Edward Memorial Park in east London.

They organised an event at the weekend to get public backing before the deadline for submissions to the Government Inspectorate which closes today.

“We installed a replica of one of the shafts so that people had a taste of what the impact in the park will really be like,” said campaigner Emma Dunsire.

“Up to now we’ve seen beautified sketches and what Thames Water calls ‘artist impressions’ of the park after the super sewer is built.

“But those images were highly manipulated and disingenuous—it’s time people see themselves what the vents will be like.”

They were not able to mock up the whole promontory, nor all four proposed shafts or the industrial building Thames Water wants to build.

“Nevertheless the mock-up vent looks bad enough,” Emma added. “This is an idea of what the future might hold if the plans go ahead.”

The campaigners also ran an information stall next to the mock-up urging people to register to give evidence to the public inquiry opening in September.

The event followed a series of public consultation meetings across London earlier this month, the first at Shadwell’s Glamis Hall on May 2 just two minutes from the park, which attracted 70 people.

Thames Water argues that the 17-mile Tideway tunnel running under the riverbed from Barnes to Limehouse is essential because London’s overloaded Victorian sewer network is spilling untreated sewage into the river more and more.