A planning application for a major new reservoir that will supply water to the Burnham-On-Sea area has been submitted to Sedgemoor District Council this week.
Bristol Water’s £125 million project, if approved by both planning and regulatory authorities, will see a 9,400 million litre reservoir built close to the existing Cheddar Reservoir.
A decision on the planning application is expected in Spring next year and the reservoir could then be fully operational by 2025, filled by surplus winter water flows in Cheddar Gorge.
Bristol Water has made a CGI mock-up film available, shown above, of what the proposed ‘Reservoir Two’ could look like once completed.
The company says that extensive analysis and planning has demonstrated that the new reservoir is needed to meet growing demand for water.
Two public consultations into the plans have taken place this year and project spokesman Jeremy Williams said the majority of respondents were “more than satisfied” with the plans.
“We believe that, apart from providing vitally needed water supplies, it will also offer major recreational and conservation benefits,” he added.
But local farmer Sarah Parsons says the reservoir would be detrimental to wildlife and plants.
Her family farm is on the proposed site of the reservoir, which she claims is prime agricultural land. “It’s going to have a disastrous effect on the flora and fauna of the area,” she said.
