Reservoirs: Abingdon
(asked on 9th October 2024) - View Source
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have given permission to Thames Water to commence work on the proposed reservoir near Abingdon.
Answered by
Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State has allowed Thames Water to finalise its Water Resources Management Plan, which includes the Abingdon Reservoir (South East Strategic Reservoir Option) proposal. The South East Strategic Reservoir Option meets the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project criteria and would need development consent, under the Planning Act 2008, as well as relevant environmental permits before it can be constructed.
Development consent decisions are subject to public examination undertaken by an independent Planning Inspector and require approval by the Secretary of State. An Environmental Impact Assessment will be required, showing the potential impacts and how they will be mitigated to inform the decisions.