Reservoir campaign puts down roots
Published 21 May 2009 09:30
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OPPOSITION is growing to Thames Water"s plans to build 96 homes over trees and grassland in Coley.
The Bath Road reservoir is being decommissioned this year and neighbours are campaigning for the site to remain a wildlife haven.
Around 100 people met members of the Save The Bath Road Reservoir group and politicians on Wednesday last week before Thames Water"s plans went on show for two days.
Campaigner Graham Griffiths told the meeting: 'It is really rare in Berkshire to have untouched land. To have both trees and unkept grassland together, it"s just remarkable.'
Reading West Conservative parliamentary hopeful Alok Sharma was concerned about loss of green space, traffic and Reading"s future and described it as 'unsuitable development'. Minster ward Labour councillor Paul Gittings said: 'Thames Water is putting profit before the public interest and putting the interest of its shareholders before this community.'
A planning application is expected this summer to convert the Grade II listed water tower to offices, and the pump house to flats. The rest of the site, up to four storeys high, would be 43% three and four-bedroom houses and 31% two-bedroom apartments.
Thames Water spokeswoman Hilary Murgatroyd said the company welcomed feedback but added: 'The actual number of building units will not alter.
'We would feel we have to get the most financial result from the site and keep customers" bills down.'
Karen Wenham, of Portway Close, visited the exhibition and said: 'If I hadn"t come to the campaign meeting I wouldn"t have known that this process was going ahead because they only bothered to tell a few people right next to the site. We don"t have enough green space in Reading.'
Visit www.savethebathroadreservoir.co.uk
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 21 May 09
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