Reservoir consultation extended after technical issue

People who want to share fuller views on a proposed reservoir have been given more time to comment.

Thames Water's South East Strategic Reservoir Option, near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, would be filled in the winter with water from the River Thames and supply 15 million people.

The water firm said its online form meant there was a character limit of 4,096 for responses per question and it wanted to give people the opportunity to submit longer responses. It said it would now accept emails until 23 January.

The statutory public consultation on the reservoir - roughly the same size as Gatwick Airport and costing up to £7.5bn - ran from 28 October to 13 January.

The water firms said the reservoir would supply local homes and businesses across London and the South East, including customers of Affinity Water and Southern Water.

It said it would be filled from the River Thames during winter when there was "plenty available".

Water would also be released from the reservoir back into the river for re-abstraction downstream when river levels drop, or demand for water increases.

Customers of Thames Water, Affinity Water and Southern Water would all pay for the new reservoir through their bills.

Thames Water said it would play a critical role in tackling expected water shortages.

The water company is hoping to apply for planning consent from the government in autumn 2026.

It hopes to start the main build in 2032 and aims to have have it up and running by 2040 before being fully finished by 2043.

Leonie Dubois, head of engagement, land and consents at Thames Water, said: "The character limit applies to each question on the online feedback form, which we have found is sufficiently generous for the vast majority of responses.

The first page of the consultation form highlights that if responses are likely to be lengthy that respondents can email or write to us instead.

"Should respondents wish to send in further feedback, they can write to us at sesro@ipsos.com."

You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.