The Labour Party will build new reservoirs in the UK for the first time since 1992 as part of a £7.9 billion investment plan into the country’s waterworks.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has backed plans for a massive new reservoir in Abingdon near Oxford to supply Thames Water customers.
The reservoir would produce up to 270 million litres of water per day, providing additional water supplies to 15 million people.
It is set to nearly be as big as Gatwick Airport and has faced repeated local opposition.
But Labour has declared war on ‘blockers’ standing in the way of growth as they bid to kickstart the economy.
Along with the Abingdon development, there are expected to be new reservoirs built in Somerset, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Kent, Lincolnshire, Suffolk and in the West Midlands.
It comes after the government agreed for water companies to invest £7.9 billion to improve infrastructure.
A Thames Water spokesperson said: “We welcome the Government’s plans to improve infrastructure across the region.
“Our proposed reservoir will be vital for unlocking economic growth, not only securing water supply for 15 million people across the South East, but also in supporting new housing and infrastructure development.
“It will also enable us to meet the challenges ahead, such as a growing population and the effects of climate change. We’ve also committed to halving leakage by 2050 and reducing demand for water.”
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