Save the Bath Road reservoir

Save the Bath Road reservoir

 

Save the Bath Road Reservoir Campaign

The issue:

Since early 2008 Thames Water has been trying to push through plans to develop the Bath Road Reservoir site that sits between Western Road and The Bath Road in west Reading. The original proposals included around 120 homes and were opposed by local residents of the “Save the Bath Road Reservoir” Campaign Group. The Group has explained that the site is an important part of Reading’s heritage and a haven for local wildlife and drew up proposals recommending that the site be used as an educational resource for Reading’s schools with a potential conversion of one of the buildings currently on the site into a community centre.

Achievements to date:

  • Following more than a year of tough campaigning, in spring 2009 Alok and the “Save the Bath Road Reservoir” Campaign Group convinced Thames Water to withdraw its first planning application.
  • Alok arranged for the then Shadow Minster for Communities and Local Government, Justine Greening MP, to visit the site and Ms Greening subsequently gave her backing to the campaign.
  • In September 2009, Alok successfully worked with the “Save the Bath Road Reservoir” Campaign Group to raise public awareness of this issue and Alok attended the first annual “Save the Bath Road Reservoir” street party which took place on Western Road, situated alongside the site itself.
  • Following campaigning by the “Save the Bath Road Reservoir” Campaign Group and Alok, in October 2009 Thames Water’s second set of proposals for the site were duly rejected by Reading Borough Council’s Planning Committee as an ‘unsuitable proposal’.
  • Following Thames Water’s appeal of this decision, Alok wrote to the Planning Inspectorate on behalf of residents and the “Save Bath Road Reservoir” Campaign Group recommending that the Planning Inspectorate rejects Thames Water’s proposals on the basis that they had been met with an overwhelming display of public disapproval and were clearly unsuitable, leading to the Planning Inspector indeed rejecting the appeal in January 2011.

Next steps:

Since September 2011, Thames Water has been pursuing another near-identical set of development proposals despite the lack of public and political support. The water company is poised to submit a planning application to the Council for 78 dwellings on the Bath Road Reservoir site. Whilst this is a reduction in the number of units Thames Water originally wanted to build, it still continues to fly in the face of overwhelming public opinion.

Alok says:

“If, despite strong opposition from local residents, Reading Borough Council decides to give the green light to these proposals I want Thames Water to immediately liaise with the Save the Bath Road Reservoir Campaign Group to make sure local residents are fully informed of their plans for decommissioning and building on the site. Any development of this site is going to lead to a long period of inconvenience for local residents from noise, dust, increased traffic and potential structural issues for their houses and that is why local residents need to be involved in agreeing any practical grounds rules for the carrying out of the works before they start and during the process.”

Save the Bath Road reservoir

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