Date set for reservoir inquiry (From Oxford Mail)

Date set for reservoir inquiry

4:59pm Monday 21st December 2009

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A PUBLIC inquiry into the £1bn reservoir planned near Abingdon will be held in the summer.

Campaigners last night said they were stepping up their fight against Thames Water’s scheme after the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the inquiry would start by June 21.

Thames Water wants to build the reservoir on land between Steventon, East Hanney and Drayton by 2026 to deal with a predicted increase in demand from homes and businesses in Oxfordshire, the rest of the Thames Valley and London until 2035.

The reservoir would hold 100 billion litres of water and supply an extra 350 million litres of water a day.

But the protest organisation Group Against Abingdon Reservoir Development (Gard) argues that there are better ways to meet the demand.

Gard chairman Nick Thompson said: “We have some extremely strong arguments and this will be an interesting fight.

“There are lots of other answers for more water, such as repairing the system’s leaking pipes and transferring water from the Severn.

“We’re not quite sharpening our swords yet but we are poisoning the drink.”

The inspector appointed to the public inquiry is Wendy Burden.

Gard has been told the hearing will start no later than June 21 and is expected to last three to four weeks.

No venue has been set.

Gard has until January 19 to make representations and must have made its formal statement of case by March 3.

Vice-chairman Michael Robson added: “We don’t feel Thames Water have given proper consideration to the alternatives put forward by Gard.”

The group, which has about 100 members, is launching a recruitment drive and is going live with a new website in coming days.

Graeme Creighton, 57, of Mill Street, Steventon, said: “Now a date has been set I just hope Gard has enough time to prepare.

“My biggest concern is that it’s steamrolled through and they don’t take any notice of Gard’s arguments.”

The group has been funded by the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

Richard Aylard, Thames Water’s sustainability director, said: “A large new reservoir in Oxfordshire remains an important part of our long-term plan to provide enough water for our customers.”

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