LOCAL people are being reassured over work being carried out in the grounds of St Peter’s Church, in Norton.

Yorkshire Water is installing an underground pumping station the side of the church in Langton Road.

The second phase of the project follows the laying of a new sewer along Sutton Street.

Reverend Rachel Hirst said a request was made to St Peter’s and the diocese to use the land nearly a year ago and the church’s own planning permission had to be obtained with advice from their architect, a quantity surveyor and legal advisors.

“We are pleased to see it happening at last and as a church we want to support something which is of benefit to the community,” she said.

“It looks like a lot of upheaval and mess because a temporary road has been made for vehicles to get access to the area where the pumping station will be. I know there are lots of rumours and concerns – some people even think a supermarket is being built there. That is not true, and at the end of the work, the grass will be relaid with a grass track to allow access for maintenance and should look pretty much as it was before. The only real difference will be a small fenced area by the side of the path.”

A spokesman for Yorkshire Water said: “The work being carried out in Sutton Street, in Norton, is the second phase of our project to reduce the risk of sewer flooding. The project involves constructing an underground pumping station within the grounds of St Peter’s Church to provide emergency storage for waste water during wet weather.

“Another new section of sewer is being laid, using a tunnelling technique, to connect the new pumping station to the existing sewer network. Sutton Street will be closed to vehicles at this corner until March 31.

“The pumping station will take 16 weeks to construct so the project should be completed by the end of May this year.”