Bristol Water has been granted full planning permission to build a new reservoir next to the existing one at Cheddar in Somerset.

The completion of a planning agreement announced between Bristol Water, Sedgemoor and Somerset Councils represents a major milestone in the £125 million scheme.

Bristol Water believes that the £100m-plus reservoir, if built, will provide a much-needed new source of water in Somerset – as well as being of enormous long term recreational and conservation benefit.

The scheme was approved by Sedgemoor Council planners in June this year, subject to a detailed S106 agreement on mitigation measures. This has now been completed and full planning permission was granted on November 10th, complete with 40 conditions. The S106 agreement covers:

• The provision of a Community Fund (and establishment of a Community Liaison Group to administer it)
• Financial contribution towards the supervision of archaeological investigations on the site and associated outreach work.
• Local Labour Agreement to promote the recruitment of local people for employment in jobs created in connection with the development.
• Financial contributions to Somerset County Council for pedestrian and highway works
• Provision of permissive footpaths, cyclepaths and bridlepaths within the footprint of the development.
• Agreement works to comprise carriageway realignment for the B3151 at the junction with Hythe Bow Bridge, closure of the existing Belle Vue Farm access and the introduction of a new access for the development.
• Condition requiring the acquisition or other agreement with the relevant landowners to enable Bristol Water to implement the development on a phased basis

Commenting on the decision, Jeremy Williams,Bristol Water’s CR2 project spokesman said:

“This is a considerable step forward. However, it still does not mean anything at all will happen on site in the near future."

“Even though this important agreement has been achieved, the project investment will still need approval from Ofwat, the water industry’s economic regulator, before any further work can start.”

The development approved in detail by SDC must be begun not later than seven years from now.