Henry Penn Walk: Residents living next to Peterborough sink hole to be given buckets and told not to use toilets - over fears sewage could seep into River Nene

Residents living next to a huge sink hole in Peterborough city centre are to be given buckets and told to use portable toilets in a car park – after fears that sewage could leak into the River Nene means they will be unable to use any water based appliances – including toilets in their home.

Emergency works – that could last two days – are set to start near Henry Penn Walk in the city centre on Monday.

For more than four years, a large sink hole has been left in the middle of the footpath, following discussions between Peterborough City Council and freeholders Riverview House Freehold Ltd (RHFL) over who had responsibility to fix the hole. It was eventually decided it would be down to RHFL to carry out the repairs.

It is thought the repairs could cost millions of pounds.

Last January, RHFL told The Peterborough Telegraph that repair works would start in the summer of 2024. However, they still have not started, leading to Peterborough Civic Society labelling the situation as an embarrassment to the city.

Ban on use of toilets, showers and washing machines

Now residents have been told the situation has got so bad, that it is feared sewage could leak into the River Nene – unless emergency drainage repairs are carried out.

Portable toilets will be set up in the car park from Monday, with residents told they will not be able to use any appliance that uses water – including toilets, showers, sinks, dishwashers or washing machines.

One resident spoke of his frustration at the situation, saying: “We are expected to visit these (portable toilets in the carpark) in the middle of the night in the middle of a carpark which is unlit.

"We also have a rat problem and many will be disturbed as they live under the building where the work is being carried out.”

The resident also spoke of concerns about homeless people using the car park at night.

What residents have been told

People living in Riverview House, which is located next to the hole, have received an email from RHFL telling them of the emergency works, which start on Monday.

The email, signed by the directors of RHFL, says:

Dear leaseholders and residents.

You will be aware that due to the subsidence of the Henry Penn Walk that the foul drainage on the south side of Riverview House has deteriorated and now the Environment Agency has notified us of potential discharge of sewage which could reach the river. Hence we have to act immediately.

Our civil engineering contractor is proposing to commence the urgent work on diverting the system on Monday 10th February and residents will have to cease using toilets and any water using appliances from 10.30am until notified. Apart from toilets these will include washing machines, dishwashers, showers, baths basins, sinks etc. We are hoping that this disruption will not last more than two days.

In this emergency we are planning to hire in a bank of portable toilets to be placed in the car park and we will provide buckets for temporary storage of waste water and subsequent disposal for each apartment.

We do apologise for all this inconvenience and disruption, but we are sure you can understand the imperative for taking such action. We will greatly appreciate your cooperation during this emergency.

"We very much regret the inconvenience to residents"

It is not thought that the emergency works will see the sink hole itself repaired.

A spokesperson for RHFL told the Peterborough Telegraph: “We can confirm that diversion works to the drainage system will commence on Monday 10th February and is predicted to last two days.

"We very much regret the inconvenience to residents, but the deterioration of the existing drainage, due to the continuing subsidence of the Henry Penn Walk, makes such an urgent intervention necessary.

"Mobile toilets will be installed for residents and receptacles for waste water will be provided to each apartment to give some limited facility over the transfer period.”

"This is getting ridiculous and embarrassing for Peterborough.”

Last month, Peterborough Civic Society labelled the situation as ‘embarrassing for Peterborough,’ saying: “Still nothing happening at Henry Penn Walk – this is getting ridiculous and embarrassing for Peterborough.”

In response, a spokesperson for RHFL said: “The failure of the river wall adjacent to Riverview House near the Town Bridge has proved to be a very complex matter to resolve.

"It has become evident that the failure of the wall was due to negligent construction and supervision by the original developers and now the individual leaseholders of Riverview House find themselves having to shoulder the responsibility of remedial works to the wall and foundations to the footpath and cycleway, causing unwarranted financial distress.

“The access to the site is extremely constrained and the logistics of work on the site has eliminated many obvious engineering solutions to the problem. Structural engineers working on behalf of Riverview House Freehold Ltd (RHFL), which is owned by leaseholders, have successively developed four schemes over the last three years, only to find each scheme is either not approved, unworkable or unaffordable.

"RHFL are currently seeking the consent of the Environment Agency and approval by Peterborough City Council for the latest solution to this very difficult problem.

"We are hoping that following clearance remedial works can commence.”

Cllr Angus Ellis, Peterborough City Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport said they had met with RHFL on a number of occasions to try and fix the problem. He said: “We understand people’s frustration at the lack of progress in the repairs to Henry Penn Walk. Officers have met with the Freeholders (RHFL) on several occasions, most recently in December to discuss their proposals. We hope this issue can resolved as swiftly as possible but in the meantime the footpath continues to be closed for public safety.”

The street was named after Peterborough bell maker Henry Penn, who ran a foundry near Lower Bridge Street .

Along with having the street named after him, there is a giant bell sculpture on Bridge Street. The underpass leading from Bridge Street to the Lido and the Crown Court is also named Foundry Walk in his honour.

The Peterborough Telegraph has contacted the Environment Agency for comment.