Upper Thames Reservoir

On 1 March 2011, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Caroline Spelman, decided that Thames Water should remove its plan to build a reservoir in the Vale from its Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP).

The decision follows a public inquiry in summer 2010 which considered objections to the WRMP, which sets out how Thames Water plans to meet the demand for water for the next 25 years.

The company first announced its plans to build a large reservoir between Drayton, Steventon and East Hanney back in 1990, and more detailed plans were introduced in 2006.

The Council has consistently challenged Thames Water’s case for the need for a large a reservoir on this site. At the inquiry last summer the Vale and County Councils presented their evidence jointly and argued that the company’s forecast need for water was not realistic, it had not properly considered other options for meeting water demand, and the local environmental impact of such a massive development had not properly been taken into account by Thames Water in their plan preparation process.

For more information see the Public Inquiry Inspector’s report to the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State’s decision letter which can both be downloaded from the right of the page.