Changes to reservoir plans to stop ‘rat run’
Access roads to minimise impact
BOSSES of a new reservoir project have promised to put in measures to prevent the site becoming a ‘rat run’ following a consultation with residents.
Portsmouth Water has laid out plans to create two roads to the north and south of Havant Thicket Reservoir to help minimise the impact of traffic and the firm also has plans to prevent anti-social behaviour including access gates to stop unlicensed motorcycles.
Chief executive officer Bob Taylor said: ‘We have looked in detail at what people told us and have made a number of changes to our plans.
‘For example, we are now proposing to create access roads from the north and the south, which will help minimise the overall impact of traffic and almost halve the amount of ancient woodland we would need to remove along the northern route.
‘We expect to use the northern route for most of the reservoir construction vehicles and people travelling from further afield to the site, with the southern route mainly used by local communities.
‘We have designed it so both roads end in the site’s car park and the northern route is single track, to avoid them being used as a ‘rat run’ – something people told us they were particularly concerned about.’
The reservoir, which would be built on grassland next to Havant Thicket, between Rowlands Castle, Warren
Park, Leigh Park and Staunton Country Park, aims to sustain future water supplies and create a wetland beauty spot to support threatened species of birds.
The consultation also revealed people’s concerns over the loss of woodland.
Mr Taylor added: ‘We have worked closely with environmental partners to take advantage of this one-off opportunity, to create a large new wetland for wildlife, to replant and improve at least 110 hectares of woodland and grassland.
‘As we have updated our designs during the last year, we have now managed to reduce the loss of ancient woodland in three areas – by changing the line of the reservoir embankment, moving the parking area out of Bell’s Copse Wood and reducing the width of the access road from the north.’
To read the full consultation report, visit portsmouthwater.co.uk/new-reservoir/