Thames Water’s proposed new £2.2bn reservoir in Oxfordshire has achieved Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) status for planning, but the plan will also be subject to a judicial review.
The South East Strategic Reservoir Option (Sesro), to be situated near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, has secured government backing to progress the planning application for the 150bn.l water supply project under the NSIP category.
Environment secretary Steve Reed directed the project be recognised as nationally significant. Under the Planning Act 2008, Thames Water will now need to seek planning approval at national level, planning to submit an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) in 2026.
Thames Water is planning on building the reservoir to combat serious drought and water supply problems the south east of England is likely to suffer from in the future due to drought and climate change.
Without action the company forecasts a shortfall of 1bn.l of water each day for its customers by 2050.
The decision for the project to be granted NSIP status enables the company to deliver the reservoir through a proven competitive financing and delivery model, building on the success of the Thames Tideway Tunnel. An independent company will be competitively selected to finance and build the reservoir, with costs recovered through customer bills over the asset’s lifetime.
It follows the environment secretary’s decision last month to take control of the planning for Anglian Water’s two planned reservoirs. These moves are intended to expedite the delivery of new water storage infrastructure to mitigate against impending stresses on supply.
Thames Water strategic water resources director Nevil Muncaster said: “While we’ve always known our proposed reservoir is of national importance, the Government’s recognition of its significance brings us one step closer to securing water supply for 15M people across the south east.
“The right planning process and finance model is fundamental to securing our water future, delivering a cost-effective project for customers and safeguarding the environment.
“Although this project has achieved national significance, local communities remain at the heart of our plans.
“We’re committed to engaging with local people throughout the process, which is why I’d encourage everyone to attend our information events this summer.
“These sessions provide the perfect opportunity to learn more about our proposals, understand the benefits and to speak to the team.”
Water minister Emma Hardy said: “South east England is projected to face water shortages by 2030. That is why the government is intervening in the public interest to speed up the planning process and unblock new reservoirs.
“This government will secure our water supply for future generations while protecting the environment and unlocking the building of thousands of homes as part of the Plan for Change.”
Judicial review
Meanwhile, in less positive news for Thames Water, plans for a judicial review of the project’s scope have also been announced.
On 25 to 26 June, the High Court will hear a Judicial Review case brought against Thames Water’s plans for the reservoir in rural Oxfordshire. The reservoir, which would be the second-largest in England and cover an area the size of Gatwick Airport, is completely unnecessary, campaign groups CPRE Oxfordshire and SAFERWaterS have argued.
Campaigners believe the “mega-reservoir” is unnecessary as government data forecasts a 15% drop in water demand from 2024 to 2050.
They believe Thames Water has justified the huge project, which has a lifetime cost of £7.5bn, according to Ofwat, using population growth estimates for the south east that exceed those for the entire country.
The two groups also believe the project will devastate local ecology and livelihoods, increase the risk of flooding and waste billpayers’ funds.
SAFERWaterS director Derek Stork said: “This is a scandalous misuse of public money. Instead of investing in essential sewage cleanup and modern water reuse systems, Thames Water wants to build an untested bunded structure the height of an eight-story building that puts communities at risk while lining shareholder pockets.”
CPRE Oxfordshire director Lisa Warne said: “The UK is already one of Europe’s most wasteful water users per person – we currently reuse just 0.08% of urban wastewater, the lowest rate in Europe.
“The government should prioritise leakage reduction, water reuse, and efficiency, not this vanity reservoir.”
MP for Didcot and Wantage Olly Glover said: “I, and other local Liberal Democrat colleagues, have long called for proper transparency and rigorous scrutiny of decision making around Thames Water’s plans for this enormous reservoir near Abingdon.
“Many of my constituents have significant concerns about the impact of such a large reservoir, and I welcome any opportunity for these concerns to be heard and addressed fully.
“Given their shoddy record on sewage, and wobbly finances, local residents have no faith in Thames Water to properly deliver such a huge and complex project.”
Earlier in the year, NCE spoke with Thames Water, alongside contractor Costain and technical partner Arup-Binnies JV, regarding clay-compaction trials that are helping to refine the project’s design.
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