Work to build new reservoir 'will start by 2029'

The reservoir would sit alongside an existing one at Cheddar in Somerset

Work to construct a reservoir in Somerset will begin by 2029 after a water company has earmarked £84m in funding.

Susan Davy, head of South West Water, said it was still in the planning stages of constructing the reservoir alongside an existing one at Cheddar.

Known as Cheddar 2, the site would provide drinking water for 40,000 homes.

Water minister Emma Hardy, who recently met Ms Davy at the site, said the reservoir would help to make sure the area did not run out of water in 10 years, part of a wider £500m investment in Somerset.

Ms Hardy added the water company is making a "record investment" into the water industry – providing more than £100bn over the next five years.

She said: "It brings jobs into the local area as well and I'm really pleased to be coming here to support it and find out more."

The reservoir plans were first proposed by then-owner Bristol Water in 2013, but the water watchdog Ofwat said it had "significant concerns" over whether a second Cheddar reservoir would be in the interests of customers.

Bristol Water dropped the plan in 2018 and the company was later bought out by the Pennon Group – which also owns South West Water.