Dovenby – a rural village past and present
2026 08 23
Last Thursday 20th August, I informed Electricity Northwest that 40m downstream from M-Sport Ltd’s demolished boundary wall is a metal pipe that crosses from under the road and is suspended 40cm over the lowest water level of Dovenby Beck then goes into the 3m high wall of M-Sport Ltd Dovenby Hall Estate. The pipe is regularly covered with Dovenby Beck’s water in heavy rainfall. The end of that metal pipe has rusted away where it goes through M-Sport Ltd wall and thus exposes the inside of the pipe which is obviously a cable. See photos at the end of this document.
In my concern for the safety of all villagers, and myself, yesterday on Friday 21st August I asked advice from Ashraf Himid of SP Electricity North West who treated the situation as an emergency and Electricity Northwest technician Liam Vickers attended within a few hours on Friday evening 21st August. Technician Mr Vickers confirmed that the cable inside the pipe carries 11,000 volts and the damaged part of the metal pipe has exposed the cable carrying 11,000 volts, and he reassured me that this situation is classified as a genuine emergency callout.
I pointed out that when Dovenby Beck is in flood, this section of exposed 11,000 volt cable has the flow of flood water over it. I pointed out the 11,000 volt cable is hanging on the rough stone where it passes through the 3m high wall and into M-Sport Ltd Dovenby Hall Estate. I asked what would happen if the insulation was damaged, would the electricity flow along the water course to our house which had been flooded when flood water built up in M-Sport Ltd Dovenby Hall Estate to the level that demolished the wall that he saw further upstream from the 11,000 volt exposed cable. Mr Himid kindly reassured me that if there was a short circuit then the flow of electricity would cut out within milliseconds.
The consequences of the electricity supply being cut out would surely affect all village houses and businesses and farms that rely on electricity from the point that could short circuit and be cut off in an emergency.
I asked Mr Vickers if it is safe modern practice to have a cable with 11,000 volts exposed to regular flooding and he said that his supervisors would look at all options including re-routing the cable away from the water course of Dovenby Beck. One option, he said, could be to re-route the high voltage supply to M-Sport Ltd and to the various businesses in Dovenby Hall Estate. He said that if that was decided then it could take some time. He said that the situation would be escalated to an emergency repair but the most that was likely to be done was to replace some insulation or tube where the outer protective metal sheath had rusted away.
The application for planning permission FUL-2025-0040 contains no identification or mention of the purpose or content of four pipes that are cross under Dovenby Village road and over Dovenby Beck and into the 3m high boundary wall of M-Sport Ltd Dovenby Hall Estate.
Planning application FUL-2025-0040 does not have an evaluation of the consequences of the elevated flow of flood water that increases the risk of damage to the various pipes that cross Dovenby Beck. One of those pipes was rusted so much that it exposed an electric supply cable carrying 11,000 volts.
There are three other pipes crossing Dovenby Beck from Dovenby road into M-Sport Ltd Dovenby Hall Estate. These three pipes seem to be metal, rusty, and may contain sewage which through metal decay or through another flood, could fail and discharge its content into the water course and, if in another flood, could discharge its content into our homes again. One of the metal pipes is about an inch in diameter and is permanently in the water in the bed of Dovenby Beck.
If you, Martin and Debbie, and other Parish Councillors and significant people want to see the four rusty pipes in and hovering over Dovenby Beck then visit them or contact me and I will show them.
An inspection of the boundary wall of M-Sport Ltd Dovenby Hall Estate will show that there are many locations in M-Sport’s 3m high boundary wall where large cobbles are missing or dislodged. This 3m high wall has collapsed twice in the last five years and other parts of the 3m high boundary wall appear to be in a similar condition to the wall that has collapsed. Until the content and purpose of all pipes in and over Dovenby Beck are known then the next flood could destroy one of the pipes and leak its content. The pipes may be sewage from a row of houses that were originally built for staff who worked in Dovenby Hall when it was a NHS facility and the sewage may connect to the outflow from Dovenby Hall to the sewage works downstream. If this is metal pipe of sewage and it was installed at the same time as the metal pipe that rusted away from containing the 11,000 volt electricity cable, then in a flood that damaged the pipe, the content of the sewage pipe may flow into the same homes that the flood of 2025 flooded.
I attach photos showing the boundary wall of M-Sport Ltd Dovenby Hall Estate with Dovenby Beck running along its base, showing the many rocks and boulders dislodged or missing and appears to be at imminent risk of its structural integrity failing in another flood event.
I attach the correspondence from the emergency call to Electricity North West.
Peter Nicholson
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From Electricity North West EnquiriesElectricityNorthWestEnquiries@enwl.co.uk
Subject: Re: CAS-00018863: Cable Safe Enquires
Hi Peter,
Thank you for your time today. As discussed, please use this email as confirmation of our conversation and the next steps regarding your enquiry.
During our call today, we confirmed that your two initial questions are:
You also advised us of your main concern, namely the boundary wall, which is in imminent danger of collapse. The photo you provided also shows a section of the wall that has already collapsed on two occasions due to previous flooding, and this is in the vicinity of where the line runs. These circumstances present significant health and safety concerns.
As your Distribution Network Operator (DNO), we have a duty of care to help ensure a safe and reliable electricity network. Given the potential for legal proceedings, including a possible High Court case, we discussed first establishing the facts relating to your two initial questions and, if required, arranging a site visit to inspect the cable and assess the safety of the network in this area. This will help provide clarity and address any concerns.
We will also confirm whether the line is:
As discussed, I will be passing these details to the Delivery Manager responsible for this area. The Delivery Manager oversees the local network, manages the engineering team, and is responsible for ensuring that any necessary visits, works, or outstanding actions are completed. I will also provide them with your contact details should they wish to discuss the matter directly with you or obtain any additional information.
If you wish to contact us regarding this matter, your case reference is CAS-00018863. Please call us on 0800 195 4141 or reply to this email.
Should you wish to speak with me directly, please ask for Ashraf or Ash, as my colleagues will recognise either name. If I am unavailable when you call, I will ensure that I return your call as soon as possible.
Thanks, Ashraf Himid | Customer Advisor | Customer Contact Centre Tel: 0800 195 4141