Thames Tideway Tunnel could face a potential legal challenge from local councils who have been vocal opponents of the scheme to build the £4.2 billion Tideway Tunnel which received planning go-ahead last week.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council has reacted furiously to the Government’s approval of plans to use a residential area in Fulham as a ‘Super Sewer’ construction site.

The Council said the decision by Secretaries of State Eric Pickles and  Elizabeth Truss to grant Thames Water a development order in Carnwath Road, South Fulham, would “ unnecessarily blight the lives of tens of thousands of people.”

Residents and the council believe that the £4.2billion scheme will cause years of misery which could have been avoided if the site had been located over the river in Barn Elms, as was originally envisaged.

Cllr Stephen Cowan, the Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council, said:

“This is a disgraceful decision by the Government which effectively says that a piece of park land is more important than a community where thousands of people live.

“The park would have been restored after construction was completed, but using Carnwath Road will cause human misery to thousands of people for years to come.”

The construction site is needed to create a major drilling entrance for the 15-mile tunnel under the Thames which aims to tackle the problem of raw sewage entering the river.

The council says that residents living near the site would be subject to 24/7 noise, dust and air pollution, potentially affecting their health and well-being for eight years.

Five schools are within 700 metres of the proposed site at Carnwath Road, as well as several day nurseries. According to the Council, residential streets face being clogged up with lorries and construction traffic, causing congestion across Fulham and beyond.

The council also says that the loss of potential new homes, jobs and community facilities at Carnwath Road and surrounding area will be damaging to the plans for new housing in London, whereas no new housing can be provided at the protected open space at Barn Elms.

The council believes there has been a lack of adequate consultation on the selection of the Carnwath Road site with local people and says, if the Secretary of State approves the Carnwath Road planning application,

The council said it will now "carefully review" any decision to grant a Development Consent Order in favour of Thames Water’s application affecting Carnwath Road. Should the Council decide to challenge the validity of the decision, it would have 6 weeks from the date of the order being granted to do so.

Leader of Southwark Council, Cllr Peter John, has also separately condemned the Secretaries of State's decision to permit the super sewer drive site at Chamber's Wharf, Southwark.

Cllr Peter John, Leader of Southwark Council, said:

"This is a ludicrous and evil decision by the Secretaries of State as the Planning Inspectorate clearly found that Chamber's Wharf was not a suitable drive site for this super sewer.

"I am appalled the Secretaries of State have so utterly failed to take into account the significant impacts this super sewer work will have on the residents who live, work and go to school in this area, and gone against the Planning Inspectorate's own findings.

"It is a small comfort to us that through this process Southwark Council has been able to secure a raft of measures to mitigate the impact of the super sewer work such as ensuring no night time barge movements,increased noise protection and securing £6m that will go towards enhancements that will benefit the community,local schools and environment around Chambers Wharf.

"We will continue to fight this decision and look at all our options including a Judicial Review, and ensure Thames Water is held to account along every step of the planning process and get the best possible outcome for our residents."