Agenda item

To receive and consider report 222/05 of the Reservoir Advisory Group. 

Introduction

At its meeting on 6 January 2006, the Executive noted that a Reservoir Advisory Group had been set up to advise the Executive on matters relating to Thames Water's provisional proposal for a reservoir to the south-west of Abingdon.  The Advisory Group met on 17 January to consider the latest position and has made recommendations below. 

The contact officer for this report is Steve Culliford, Democratic Services Officer, telephone 01235 540307. 

Recommendations

that the Advisory Group's business remains confidential until the Advisory Group has indicated otherwise and recommends so to the Executive; and

that this Council should act as if it were the determining authority in any application for a reservoir proposal. 

(Time: 3.30pm to 3.45pm)

(Councillor Roz Smith declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 she remained in the meeting during its consideration.) 

The Executive received and considered report 222/05 of the Reservoir Advisory Group which met on 17 January 2006 to consider the latest position regarding Thames Water's reservoir proposal. 

The Advisory Group had discussed the status of its papers and deliberations with regard to probity and concluded that its business must remain confidential until the Advisory Group had indicated otherwise and so recommended to the Executive. 

The Advisory Group noted details of Thames Water's project and the two planned phases of consultation.  The first consultation was on the needs case and site selection for an 'Upper Thames Major Resource Development'.  The second was on Thames Water’s preferred scheme and the construction and design options.  Further consultation would also be carried out on the scoping of the Environmental Impact Assessment.  If the result of the consultation process was Thames Water’s confirmation that the construction of a reservoir was its preferred option, it would progress towards the formal submission of an application, provisionally programmed for September 2007.  A public inquiry would hear objections to the proposal, likely some time in 2008. 

Thames Water had confirmed that the proposal for a single large reservoir to the south-west of Abingdon was its “provisional preferred option”.  It was updating its earlier work on the need for a major new water resource in the Upper Thames area, the analysis of options, and the analysis of alternative sites.  On-site ecological and geological surveys were also taking place.  Thames Water’s current proposal was to submit an application for a Compulsory Works Order under Section 167 of the Water Industry Act 1991.  This would bring together all of the consents and authorisations required for the construction of the reservoir, including deemed planning permission.  If given the go-ahead, construction of the reservoir could start around 2010-2011 and was likely to take around 10 years to complete.  The alternative route was for a planning application to be submitted.  Any such application was likely to be called in by the Secretary of State for determination. 

Members also discussed the possibility of a periodic briefing note to update Members on the Reservoir.  It was suggested that this should coincide with reports from the Advisory Group to the Executive. 

Under the Compulsory Works Order procedure, this Council would be a statutory consultee but the County Council would not.  The Advisory Group considered that this Council should be the lead local authority and should act as if it was the determining authority in any application for a reservoir proposal. 

The Executive agreed with the Advisory Group's views.  However, it was considered that the Advisory Group should consider organising a site visit to another large scale reservoir and possibly meet with representatives from the local authority to discuss the issues they had to tackle. 

RESOLVED

(a)       that the Advisory Group's business remains confidential until the Advisory Group has indicated otherwise and recommends so to the Executive;

(b)        that this Council should act as if it were the determining authority in any application for a reservoir proposal; and

(c)        that the Advisory Group be recommended to consider organising a site visit to another large scale reservoir and possibly meet with representatives from the relevant local authority to discuss the issues they had had to address.