Petition against new Lincolnshire reservoir gathers momentum

A petition against a major new reservoir in Lincolnshire has attracted more than 2,000 signatures.

Anglian Water has confirmed that it has selected a location south-east of Sleaford, near the village of Scredington, as the proposed site.

The company says it’s vital for ensuring Lincolnshire’s water supply through droughts and climate change over the next 25 years.

However, residents who could see their homes and livelihoods lost due to compulsory purchase orders told the Lincolnite that they are “devastated” by the news.

An online petition started by resident Laura Wesley is still gaining signatures after being set up last week.

“Not only is it affecting people’s homes, people are losing their farms, all that people have worked so hard for, passed down in generations, just being taken from under them! This is really affecting people’s lives,” it says.

A Change.org petition against Anglian Water’s proposals for a Lincolnshire reservoir | Photo: Change.org

Anglian Water say the reservoir will open up leisure activities and wildlife habitats.

Dr Geoff Darch, Water Resources Strategy Manager, said: “This project will build on decades of existing investment in resilient infrastructure – like a 400km strategic pipeline which will move water from the north to the south and east of the region, existing networks of reservoirs and water storage, as well as continuing to help customers to reduce demand and driving down leakage to world leading low levels.

“But we know, that to keep taps running in the future, we’ll need more water storage in our region, in the form of new reservoirs.

“Following a thorough and multi-stage site selection assessment process, assessing a wide range of criteria, we have now identified the best performing location for a new reservoir.

A petition has been started against the plans | Photo: Anglian Water

“We think it’s right those who are potentially most affected find out first and have the opportunity to ask us any questions about what this might mean for them. We are now in contact with those who own property and live within the proposed area and who will be potentially affected by our proposals.

“We know there is wide interest in the new reservoir. The project will create a new strategic water resource to support water supply to Anglian customers. It will help secure water supplies for future generations, so we can address  the challenges of a changing climate, environmental protection and population growth.

“Our proposals go beyond just building a new reservoir, we will create new habitats for wildlife and places for people and create great natural places to explore, and exciting new leisure facilities for people to enjoy.

A plan for the reservoirs sent to residents (pink areas would be water, grey infrastructure) | Photo: Submitted

“A formal consultation process will begin this October, when we will give communities and wider stakeholders the opportunity to have their say and to help shape the development of the design of the reservoir and inform the economic, social, environmental and health opportunities it could create for the local area.”

Local councils will be consulted on the plans, with a final decision being made by the government due to the scale.

Anglian Water says that it considered how local people, the environment, landscape and flood protection would be impacted in picking a site.

A consultation website will be launched soon, and information is available on Anglian Water’s website about how to contact them on the proposals.