Abingdon reservoir: Oxfordshire County Council calls plan 'destructive'

A reservoir plan has been floated for the area since the 1990s

Plans for a large reservoir are "destructive", according to a council.

Oxfordshire County Council confirmed a draft response to a proposal for a reservoir near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, that could cover seven sq km (4.5 sq miles).

It said the £1.244bn project was "a destructive scheme, both environmentally and in its impacts on local people".

Thames Water has previously said "lots" of people support the reservoir plans.

Last week the council shared its concerns that the plan for the reservoir could lead to civil unrest.

The reservoir would hold the equivalent of 40,000 Olympic swimming pools

The reservoir, between East Hanney and Drayton, is part of Thames Water's regional plans to meet future demands for water, and ensure water systems are resilient to climate change.

Oxfordshire County Council discussed draft responses to a series of consultations taking place concerning future water supplies, including the reservoir, during a cabinet meeting.

In its response it described the Water Resources South East (WRSE) consultation as "deeply flawed" and based on "unrealistic and non-evidence-based assumptions" about climate change.

The response to the proposal for the reservoir said bill payers were being asked to "sign a blank cheque, with no clear cost-benefit analysis or justification".

'Too late'

Dr Pete Sudbury, member for climate change at the council said the reservoir could be a "damaging white elephant" that would not be resilient amid multi-year droughts.

"It will arrive too late - climate change is worsening rapidly, and this scheme takes 20 years before it does anything," he said.

He added the consultation used "outdated figures" for population growth and exaggerated water need.

The cabinet agreed the final responses on the WRSE consultation would be delegated to Dr Sudbury and Bill Cotton, the director of environment and place.

They would also be in charge of responses to the Water Resources West draft regional plan, the Water Resources East draft regional plan, and the Affinity Water and Thames Water draft water resources management plans.

Trevor Bishop, WRSE's organisation director, said its draft regional plan had been developed to address "long-term pressures" on water supplies across south-east England.

"This includes the impact of climate change and population growth as well as the government's policy ambition to build the country's resilience to drought and support the recovery and ongoing improvement of the water environment, including chalk streams," he said.

"It has used the best available evidence and advanced modelling techniques as required in the guidance set by the water industry regulators."

He added the plan contained a "range of options" to address an estimated shortfall in water supplies of 2.7 billion litres per day over the next 50 years, if no action is taken.

Consultation is open until 20 February and a final plan is expected later in the year.

The BBC has contacted Thames Water for comment.