Oxfordshire reservoir plans take shape
Posted: Monday 15th January 2007
Local people are being given the chance to help shape the design of Thames Water’s proposed new reservoir near Abingdon, and influence the opportunities it will provide for wildlife and recreation.
The proposed £1billion reservoir, which would have a capacity equivalent to half of Lake Windermere, is an integral part of Thames Water’s Upper Thames Major Resource Development (UTMRD) proposals, to safeguard water supplies for London, Swindon and Oxfordshire in the future. If approved, the reservoir would be in service within 15 years.
A consultation exercise involving local communities, government and environmental agencies and other stakeholders began last September, with the first stage of consultation explaining the need for more water for Thames Water’s customers outlining a proposed programme of schemes to provide it, including reducing leakage, improving water efficiency and installing more water meters. The company will be continuing these discussions with the Environment Agency and the County and District Councils, to address issues raised in the first stage of consultation.
The next stage of consultation, which begins with a new round of public exhibitions in Oxfordshire, will focus exclusively on the proposed reservoir, explaining:
- What it might look like
- How it would work
- The impact of construction on the local communities
- The opportunities for nature conservation and recreation it could provide.
Richard Aylard, Thames Water’s environmental director explained how the emphasis of this stage of work was centred on the local community:
“We have designed this stage of the consultation particularly with the local community in mind. We are aiming to help people understand the scale and technical requirements of the reservoir, including what construction will be necessary, and where pipelines and treatment works might be sited. They will be able to raise any concerns they have with us about our plans and identify particular issues which will need to be addressed in the design process.
“We want this to be a real opportunity for local people to help shape their environment. We will be inviting them to influence the design of the new landscape around the reservoir and surrounding area; identify what sort of recreation facilities and wildlife habitats they would like the reservoir to provide; and comment on the style of the buildings around the site.
“We have listened to local people from the very beginning of this project, and their views will continue to be important to us going forward. For example a special local panel representing different sections of the community will be involved with all aspects of the project.”
The second stage of consultation, which runs from eight weeks to 3 March 2007, will include the publication of feedback from the first round of consultation. Over 2,000 people visited the exhibitions and thousands more logged on to the website. Key concerns were the effect of construction on the communities, increased traffic and the effect on the landscape. There was widespread support for encouraging nature conservation, for walking, cycling and bridleways; for new picnic, play and viewing areas; for water sports facilities; an educational study centre and visitor centre.
For the first time, people will be able to get an idea of what the reservoir might look like, with a 3-D animated film on display and available on DVD, providing views from all areas of the proposed site, including landscaping ideas, the type of vegetation to be planted, the size and scale of the embankments and the location of new roads. In addition, artists’ impressions of the landscape, embankments and features of the reservoir will be available.
An embankment built with clay from the site, then landscaped and planted would surround the reservoir. Railway sidings would need to be built to allow materials to be brought to the site, along with a new access road, and diversion of existing roads. The reservoir would be filled from water pumped from the River Thames during the winter. The stored water would be used during dry periods, for example during times of water scarcity or drought, to supply London via the River Thames, and throughout the year to directly supply treated water to the Swindon and Oxfordshire area.
A project of this size provides the opportunity for range of recreational opportunities, and local communities will be able to express their preference for the extent of facilities available – from ‘medium low scale’ (providing a resource just for local people); to ‘medium scale’ (a resource for people around Oxfordshire) to ‘medium high scale’ (a resource for Oxfordshire and surrounding counties). Over 100 possible uses have been considered and then assessed against planning policy, local need, environmental and social impacts, and cost. These have been reduced to a shortlist of 24 activities under the categories of education, nature & landscape, sport, access & recreation and art & culture.
There are few projects nationally of this scale and the proposal is to use this opportunity to provide extensive and lasting wildlife habitat creation and enhancement. The new habitats would be an integral part of the new landscape to be created around the reservoir. New alternative habitats would be created for wildlife such as badgers that need to be relocated before the site is cleared and construction begins.
Thames Water is also taking account of the sustainability of the project, not only by seeking to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions during construction, but also by incorporating renewable energy into the finished design of the reservoir, for example, providing hydroelectric turbines at the water pumping station to generate energy during the release of water to the river.
A report on Stage Two of the study will be published later this year summarising the proposals and options and will be used as the basis of Stage Three of the work, when the final preferred design will be announced prior to being submitting for planning approval in 2008.
