Nature site could be used as reservoir once again

A campaign group was set up to buy Severus Hill in York after the sale of the land was proposed

A water company has hinted at future proposals to build an underground reservoir on land it previously planned to sell in York.

Previous landowner Keyland proposed an auction of Severus Hill, near Holgate, in 2023 after deciding it no longer had a use for the site.

Sister company Yorkshire Water has now said it had decided to "retain" the land, as its "strategic location offers water resilience and sustainability for the city and the wider community".

Friends of Severus Hill welcomed a commitment by the utility company to consult with the community group before undertaking any future developments.

The group had raised more than £100,000 in an unsuccessful bid to buy the land, which is recognised as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.

However, the sale was paused in 2024 to allow for a consultation to take place.

Jo Patton, from Friends of Severus Hill, said the site was "hugely important from a biodiversity point of view".

"I've seen more butterflies in my garden than ever before, I've heard the foxes and seen the hedgehogs more than any other year - sites like this are a green oasis to them," he said.

Campaigners said they are "banging the drum for nature" in conversations with Yorkshire Water

Mr Patton said donors were contacted in June 2025 to be offered refunds, with any leftover money used to support the group as it works with Yorkshire Water.

"We represent nature, we represent the green and we represent the history and the heritage of York in this conversation," he added.

Ownership of the land recently moved from Keyland, the property trading sister business of Yorkshire Water, back to the utility company.

Yorkshire Water said future plans for the site may include "the potential to create a below ground reservoir to ensure the long-term supply of drinking water for the city".

This would not take place before the "next round of planning" in 2030, a spokesperson added.

In addition to the potential to create a new reservoir, Yorkshire Water's proposals include remediation work to an existing water tower.

"We trust that Yorkshire Water want to have this conversation with us to love the site more," Mr Patton said.

"To keep it prominent and to keep it as a landmark for the city is a big aim for us."

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