OXFORDSHIRE County Council has unanimously backed a call for independent scrutiny over renewed plans for a controversial reservoir - the size of the size of 2,500 football pitches - in Abingdon.

Ofwat, the water regulator in England and Wales, launched a public consultation over 15 solutions to meet the nation’s water needs which includes the South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO), a proposed reservoir that would stretch for 'two miles' in Abingdon. 

Similar proposals were scotched by a public inquiry – a major investigation sanctioned by a government minister – in March 2011 when it was found there was 'no immediate need'. There were calls for similar scrutiny when plans resurfaced in 2018 and the same argument is being made now.

The consultation over the SESRO element only has been extended until 5pm on November 19 'as a result of pressure from us and other people' said Councillor Richard Webber (Lib Dem, Sutton Courtenay & Marcham) at a meeting of all county councillors.

“It is very important that we all respond,” he said, highlighting that it would take 'at least £2billion of infrastructure' and have a dramatic impact on the county’s carbon emission targets. 

“It is not just enormous but is certain to affect every single person in this county,” he said. 

“It is going to affect the natural environment and all of the occupants with a potential carbon output almost certain to swamp any of this county’s carbon reduction aspirations. We all need to be aware of the threat it poses.

Cllr Webber added that it was 'the third such application since the 1990s' and 'supported by evidence generated almost entirely by Thames Water so far. Much, inexplicably, redacted'.

“We are open to scientific discourse but we want it to be equally balanced on all sides, not just the science produced by one side of the argument,” he said. 

The motion was seconded by Councillor Yvonne Costance OBE (Con, Shrivenham).

“This reservoir has been long planned,” she said. 

“Let me tell you, this is not your friendly reservoir that finishes with a pretty lake, a little gravel pit and some boats, this is a 90-foot high bund that extends more than two miles across to hold millions of gallons of water. It would take 10 years to build and we say no.

“Believe it or not, they want the reservoir in order to hold water to sell to other water companies. I am not sure Oxfordshire should have to put up with a reservoir of that size and scale.

“We badly need to take this up now and move the demand for a proper public inquiry to bottom out the real need for this reservoir.”

Information on the proposal can be found via Ofwat’s website: https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/regulated-companies/rapid/the-rapid-gated-process/gate-one-submissions-and-draft-decisions/

Representations must be emailed to: rapid@ofwat.gov.uk.