Abingdon reservoir: Campaigners call for new public inquiry

Campaigners have called for a new public inquiry into plans for a large reservoir.

Thames Water wants to build the 4.5 sq mile (7 sq km) site near Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

But the Group Against Reservoir Development (GARD) and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Oxfordshire want Secretary of State Steve Barclay to step in.

Thames Water said the project would help meet water demands.

It called the planned reservoir, located between East Hanney and Drayton, a "once in a lifetime opportunity to invest in new infrastructure and provide many social, economic and environmental benefits, including a place where people can enjoy recreational activities".

It claimed customers currently faced a "shortfall of over one billion litres of water per day by 2050".

A previous public inquiry in 2010 saw the government reject the plans.

GARD said the plan should not be allowed to proceed "until a proper, transparent" public assessment had been carried out and published. 

Chairman Derek Stork added that the proposal "completely ignored local opinion... whilst refusing to be transparent about the justifications, costs and risks of its plan".

He called it "unacceptable, unnecessary and too expensive".

CPRE Oxfordshire backed the calls for a public inquiry, accusing the firm of not engaging with "strong evidence" about "both the harm the reservoir would cause and the viable alternatives that would offer more adaptable and scalable solutions".

"The £2bn-plus cost would be much better spent fixing leaks and our creaking sewage system," it added.

Prof Richard Harding, Chair of CPRE Oxfordshire, said: "We need more flexible solutions, offering longer-term resilience, while protecting our countryside and all who live and use it."

A Thames Water spokesperson said the company carried out an "extensive" public consultation, and was continuing to engage with the local community.

They also said it would halve leaks from pipes by 2050, but "fixing leaks isn't enough to provide the extra water we're going to need in the future".

The reservoir would "help secure water" for about 15 million people across the South East, including Oxfordshire, and supply Thames Water, Southern Water and Affinity Water customers, they said.

Oxfordshire County Council previously said the "enormous" project had caused "anger and resentment" among the local population.

But Thames Water said its plans were "ambitious" and would provide up to 271 mega litres of water per day - the equivalent to about three million baths.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We continue to work closely with Thames Water and Affinity Water to ensure they act to improve the resilience of water supplies.

"The Environment Secretary is reviewing their draft water resources management plans and has received further advice. Next steps will be announced in due course."

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