PLANS to re-route Esso’s aviation fuel pipeline through the town’s centre have been strongly objected to by both residents and Farnham Town Council (FTC).

Objections against the proposed corridors ‘M’ and ‘Q’ were expressed at the last town council meeting, with statements from two residents highlighting particular concerns over the disruption it would cause and safety issues.

Corridor M would see the pipeline run directly through Farnham town centre, while Corridor Q would run through Alice Holt Forest and the Frensham area.

Esso’s preference for the replacement pipeline is to follow the existing route, Corridor J, which runs from Alton through Hampshire and Surrey via Crondall, Farnborough and Frimley - avoiding Farnham completely.

In response to the pipeline consultation, a statement from FTC read: “Farnham Town Council supports the preferred route, Corridor J. The alternative routes of M and Q cannot be supported.

“Farnham is a special case due to the disruption caused by the regeneration programme scheduled for Brightwells and The Woolmead.”

But, while objections were strongly felt, councillor Carole Cockburn wasn’t “quite sure what else we as a town can do other than individually write and strengthen our own comment”.

She said: “When you start looking at it, the heritage that it’s destroying, well it could destroy if it comes through, is just mind blowing.

“If you read the neighbourhood plan and what we said in the design statement about a number of listed buildings and also the tight-knit pattern of residential around Castle Street, the concept of any of that being harmed in anyway, not to mention the residents living in them, it’s just unthinkable.”

Mrs Cockburn went onto share her concerns that “the danger is that somewhere like Woking comes up with thousands of responses and little Farnham, which is going to be really clobbered by it, doesn’t come up with anything like that number”.

Councillor Andy Macleod added: “I was under the impression that they strongly prefer the existing route which is encouraging, but that doesn’t mean we should in the slightest be complacent.”

The council is encouraging local residents to have their say before the consultation closes at 11.45pm on April 30.

Councillor Jeremy Ricketts further echoed the view that “it would be absolutely disastrous for Farnham” and that “we need to be really forthright in our objections”.

According to the consultation document, Route Q “avoids Common Land and land actively used by the Ministry of Defence”, compared to Esso’s preferred option.

This route would head north by “skirting east of Alice Holt Forest” and would keep to the east of Farnham.

A spokesperson for the Forestry Commission said: “Any impact on Alice Holt Forest will depend on which route is chosen.

“We appreciate that this is a critical infrastructure project and as a statutory consultee Forestry Commission staff have had initial talks with Esso to help them understand the different impacts from the route options on the forest.

“However, it’s the planning inspectorate that’s responsible for assessing the impacts of a planning application before giving or refusing permission.”

While this route has the lowest amount of streetworks, similar to Option J, it actually bears greater landscape concerns than the preferred route.

For Farnham resident Stephen Cochrane it was not just the potential issue of economic damage caused by Route M that was of concern, but also how the pipeline would affect the town from a safety perspective.

Mr Cochrane said: “The thought of the pipeline entering the town at the top of Castle Hill directly above a congested and densely populated area with all it’s old drains, cisterns and cellars is not a comfortable thought.

“I have seen the result of two fuel spillages and subsequent infernos overseas, it haunts me.

“Try googling ‘list of pipeline explosions’, I counted 56 in 10 countries since 2000.”

Mr Cochrane further brought up the issue of pipeline easement, which would result in “several acres of central Farnham untouchable for further development of infrastructural changes”.

John Hemsley is another Farnham resident who felt that the “disruption to and effect on the daily lives of all in Farnham will be massive for at least four years”.

He continued: “Thereafter house and commercial property sales and rents and shop rentals will be affected, including the Woolmead and East Street.

“At the public meetings, Esso did not specify a completion date - this would depend upon the routes chosen but it would take years not months.”

During Monday’s meeting with Esso, the oil giant stated that works in the Farnham area would be completed within three months, which Mr Beaman thought “seemed rather ambitious”.

The preferred route will be confirmed in the summer and a second public consultation held in the autumn.

An application will be made to the Government in 2019, with works due to start on the project in 2021.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

To have your say on the project before April 30, go to www.slpproject.co.uk.