What is the proposed reservoir?
Find out more about Thames Water’s proposed reservoir which would be situated between Steventon, Drayton, Marcham, East Hanney and Abingdon.
Why does GARD oppose the reservoir?
The proposed reservoir is a solution in search of a problem. Find out more about the reasons GARD opposes the reservoir.
What are GARD’s alternatives?
Read more about GARD’s safe and environmentally sustainable alternatives to the proposed reservoir.
Latest News…
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GARD calls on regulators to protect the public
In a major submission to the regulators, Ofwat and RAPID, on their draft Gate 3 decision on the South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO), GARD warns that the proposed Reservoir now represents a serious failure of governance, transparency and public protection. GARD’s submission to Ofwat/RAPID on the SESRO Gate 3 draft decision (available here) shows…
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Councils submit damning responses to Thames Water’s Reservoir Consultation
Vale of White Horse District Council and South Oxfordshire District Councils have submitted their formal responses to Thames Water’s statutory consultation on the South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) — and the verdict is clear. The councils’ assessment is a powerful and unequivocal critique of a project that remains unjustified as best value, unsafe for people and…
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GARD responds to seriously flawed DCO statutory consultation. *Deadline extended to 23rd Jan*
EMAIL SESRO@ipsos.com to ensure your concerns are logged. GARD has submitted its response to Thames Water’s pre-Development Consent Order consultation, raising serious concerns about both the process and the proposed reservoir scheme. GARD believes that the consultation documents fail to provide sufficient detail on the design, construction and operation of the reservoir, making it impossible…
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Oxford County Council passes unanimously motion on emergency drawdown
The Council today passed unanimously the following motion, proposed by Gavin McLauchlan, Oxford County Councillor for Benson and Crowmarsh: “Council notes that in July 2025 a judicial review upheld the Secretary Of State for the Environment’s decision to approve the proposed Thames Water Resources Management Plan which includes the South East Strategic Reservoir Option in Abingdon. As a result,…
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Consultation Response Guide
GARD’s Guide to responding to Abingdon Reservoir Statutory Consultation: What do the Questions mean? Response to Thames Water Development Consent Order HELP WITH QUESTIONSQ7 Please provide us with your comments on our Indicative Master Plan:Overall layout / footprint of proposed reservoir: its size, shape, very large land-take; how theembankments and infrastructure would sit in the…
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Vale council leader demands government intervention over escalating reservoir costs
The Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, Cllr Bethia Thomas, has written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, calling for urgent action on Thames Water’s controversial South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO). Cllr Thomas, said: “This cost explosion changes everything. SESRO was approved on assumptions that Thames Water itself now admits…
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