The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and SAFERwaterS, formerly GARD, have issued a call for a Judicial Review (JR) of the Government’s decision to approve the South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) without a Public Inquiry.
The £2.2bn reservoir reservoir project was approved in August 2024 by Steve Reed MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Rt Hon Steve Reed MP has been accused by the CPRE, and other groups, of ignoring the sub-regional MPs, local authorities, and more than 4,500 people from across the South East who have opposed this latest proposal being jointly developed by Thames Water, Affinity Water and Southern Water.
CPRE and SAFERwaterS state they are taking legal action to challenge this decision in the hope a JR will seek to ensure the Labour Government is held to follow due process and the rule of law. The ultimate aim being a Public Inquiry that can be held quickly, where experts can debate.
Dr Derek Stork, Chairman of SAFERwaterS, said: “We have been left with no choice but to issue a call for Judicial Review of the Government’s decision not to allow the people of Oxfordshire to be heard. This is not about the validity of the reservoir at this stage, but instead about the new Government’s failure to follow due process and hold a Public Inquiry. The refusal to hold a Public Inquiry on the grounds of the delay it would cause, when DEFRA itself took 8 months to decide whether to hold a Public Inquiry was, as our Counsel describes, conspicuously unfair. We are disappointed to now be painted as the people causing the delay when all we want is for due process and the rule of law to be upheld. After all the sub-regional MPs, all local authorities, and more than 4,500 people had opposed the plans by Thames Water and Partners, there was a clear right next step: a Public Inquiry. We hope that we are given leave to be heard.”
Lisa Warne, Director of CPRE Oxfordshire, said: “Unfortunately, we find ourselves in the position of issuing a call for a Judicial Review on the Government’s decision not to allow the public to have their say. It cannot be right that Rt Hon Steve Reed MP, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, be allowed to approve a new 150 million cubic metre reservoir in Abingdon without hearing from the MPs, local authorities, and more than 4,500 people who have opposed the project A Public Inquiry is the correct process, and we are hopeful that the call for the Judicial Review is successful, and will get us back into the position to start an Inquiry and for due process to resume.”
