Proposals for a planned £125million new reservoir near Burnham-on-Sea will be debated today (Tuesday, June 10th).
Bristol Water wants to build a second reservoir at Cheddar serving the Burnham area as there is a growing strain on current water supplies due to an increase in house building and growing population.
The project, if approved by both planning and regulatory authorities, will see a 9,400 million litre reservoir built close to the existing Cheddar Reservoir. The reservoir could be fully operational by 2025, filled by surplus winter water flows in Cheddar Gorge.
The application has been recommended for approval by Sedgemoor District Council’s planning officers.
However, Cheddar Parish Council recommended refusal due to concerns over traffic levels. Sedgemoor officers say in a report that a traffic management plan will reduce the impact of construction traffic during the building period.
The report says: “Together with new and enhanced community and amenity space it is considered that the proposed reservoir and soft landscaping will, as it matures, positively contribute to the green infrastructure in the area.”
“It is considered that the local highway issues can be satisfactorily controlled and managed through this process.”
Bristol Water has proposed creating a community fund to support the provision and enhancement of facilities which might be affected by the reservoir.
