Opposition to Thames Water’s plan for a 'super sewer' - which could create 30-metre wide crater in one of the borough’s beauty spots - is mounting. H&F is bitterly opposing the project on the basis that the cost, chaos from eight years of construction and loss of open space outweigh any benefits.

The Council has launched this online petition urging local residents to back its stance. H&F is also planning to hold a public meeting in late October.

Construction of the 32km (20 mile) long tunnel could result in a 30-metre-wide hole being dug on open space in the borough – possibly Ravenscourt Park or Furnivall Gardens. In addition there would be five other smaller connecting shafts in the borough, each 10 metres in diameter.

The £2.5 billion cost is likely to paid in full or part by Thames Water customers with bills rising by as much as £200-a-head.

The Government wants Thames Water to build the tunnel so that it won’t have to pay hefty EU fines for water pollution.

H&F Council is calling for cross-London support against the scheme. In a letter to London Councils, which acts on behalf of all 33 local authorities in London, Council Leader Stephen Greenhalgh said: "We cannot afford to allow this appalling assault on the well-being of Londoners to be perpetrated."

Cllr Greenhalgh said he fully accepts the need to prevent sewage seeping into the Thames, but said this plan is 'not sustainable'.

He told H&F News: "While I don't want to see raw sewage at all in the Thames, this benefit needs to be considered against the much greater environmental impact of eight years of major construction, severe traffic congestion in neighbouring roads and the substantial loss of green space."

Cllr Greenhalgh added that over the last 20 years there have been enormous efforts to clean up the Thames. "It is now generally acknowledged as one of the cleanest metropolitan rivers in the world."

He is calling for a debate on other solutions to the problem of sewage seepage, including separating surface water drainage from foul sewage, which he says, would boost reserve water supplies at a time when the Thames Gateway development is expected to increase demand by 8%.

"We are not engineers, but we must look at other solutions to this problem," said Councillor Greenhalgh. "The environmental benefits need to be weighed up against the environmental consequences of bulldozing a treasured open space with eight years of construction misery which would result in west London's traffic grinding to a halt."

For more background and the latest news on the super sewer, visit www.lbhf.gov.uk/supersewer.

Please register your email address when signing the petition below – this will help us keep you up-to-date on the super sewer.