Thames Water reservoir plans face council opposition

Thames Water launched the public consultation on its plans for SESRO (South East Strategic Reservoir Option) in June and the public have until August 28 to share their views.

The reservoir, which would be situated to the south west of Abingdon, will produce up to 270 million litres of water per day, providing additional water supplies to 15 million people. 

It is set to nearly be as big as Gatwick Airport, which is larger than originally planned, at around 6.5 sq km, and has faced backlash from communities.

An artist's impression of the new reservoir (Image: Thames Water)

Vale of White Horse District Council also reaffirmed its objections to the reservoir in a formal letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on July 25.

The letter set out the council’s concerns around the proposals and requested a meeting to discuss the matter further.

Councillor Bethia Thomas, leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said: "We’ve provided our feedback as part of this latest Thames Water process, and we will continue to represent our residents and urge water providers, regulators and government to listen to local voices and reject these plans.

Councillor Bethia Thomas (Image: Oxford Mail)

"Residents have until August 28 to take part in the consultation, so I encourage everyone to look at the plans and have a say."

She added: "In July I also wrote to the new Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to express our concerns.

"I hope to arrange a meeting to set out why we firmly believe the need for the reservoir has not been established and call for the whole process to be paused to give proper consideration to other options."

The council has argued the plans do not take into account the long-term impacts on the community and environment, both during a decade of construction and through the "irreparable damage" it would cause to the countryside.

The council added the reservoir would lead to "significant" carbon emissions, hindering the district’s goals of becoming carbon neutral by 2045.

Councillor Andy Cooke, Vale of White Horse District Council’s water champion, said: "Thames Water have still failed to make a plausible case for the damaging, disruptive and pointless giant mega-reservoir rather than implementing the National Infrastructure Commission's recommendations for water transfers and a National Water Grid.

"We remain vehemently opposed to this multibillion-pound white-elephant."