Reservoir plans spark 'disgust' among councillors

Thames Water said a new reservoir would help secure water supplies for future generations

Councillors have expressed their "disgust" and fears of the "decimation" of Oxfordshire as plans for a large new reservoir gather pace.

The proposed artificial lake - known as the South East Strategic Reservoir (SESRO) - came under fire at a full county council meeting on Tuesday.

This was in response to a decision by secretary of state Steve Reed on 4 September to approve the Thames Water Resources Management Plan, which includes the controversial reservoir south west of Abingdon.

Thames Water said the plans would help secure water supplies for future generations and "provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest in new infrastructure".

An urgent motion calling on the leader of Oxfordshire County Council - which is run by a Liberal Democrat and Green alliance - to "request an urgent audience with the secretary of state" passed with 37 in favour.

SESRO is set to be nearly as big as Gatwick Airport, holding 150 billion litres of water that would supply customers in London and the Thames Valley.

But council leader Liz Leffman said the plans were "unprecedented" and criticised the "disruption" they would cause.

"I recognise the shortage of water but there are other means to address that which Thames Water has completely ignored," she said.

Her fellow Liberal Democrat county councillor Jane Hanna said: "This is going to decimate our community and for what?"

'Value for money'

Labour councillor Michael O'Connor said Thames Water's behaviour generally had been "frankly disgusting" - but his party abstained from the vote.

Thames Water said if it did nothing "we could face a shortfall of over one billion litres of water per day by 2050".

A spokesman said: "A new larger reservoir in Oxfordshire would not only help secure water supplies for future generations but provide 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.

"Across the south east we looked at more than 2,000 options and new reservoirs came out among the best of them based on cost, value for money and security of supply."

Thames Water is due to publish its updated plan in October.