Newsdesk

Broad Oak Reservoir - "A waste of our money"

29th August 2003

Mid Kent Water has revived its plans for a reservoir at Broad Oak, at a projected cost of �100 million. The company claims this is necessary because of population expansion at Ashford. Green Party members Geoff Meaden, in Canterbury, and Hazel Dawe, in Ashford, dispute this. They comment:

Geoff Meaden: "We've been here before. With efficient water conservation, such as smaller cisterns and more water butts in gardens, we can avoid the immense expenditure of a reservoir and protect land at Broad Oak. Suggestions that the site will be used for leisure beg the question of traffic impacts in an area already subjected to extreme traffic problems at peak hours. Average bills would rise from �123 in 2004/5 to �152 in 2009/10. Fundamental problems which led to the refusal of the original scheme remain - the river would have persistent low flows affecting river ecology, fishing, boating, scouring of river bed, reducing water for marsh feeding in Thanet, the valley itself has areas covered by SSSIs, as well as loss of some housing- rather less than in 1979, because so many have been allowed to fall down, but Vale Farm house still stands."

Hazel Dawe: "Mid Kent Water have claimed as their justification John Prescott's proposed expansion at Ashford, as well as the requirement to reduce abstraction in the North Downs. However, Ashford's Delivery Plan, like the multi-agency Ashford�s Future report, claims that vigorous water conservation measures will provide enough water to meet needs. There has been no mention of a need for new capacity. Mid-Kent's draft business plan is open for comment until November 28th. Copies are supposed to be on Mid Kent's website (www.midkentwater.co.uk) but probably easier to obtain from them direct at Snodland. I suggest all concerned copy responses to both OFWAT and the Environment Agency." ENDS c308 words

FURTHER INFORMATION: Hazel Dawe, 01233 645167 or 07960 956272. Contact address for this release: 10 Hillbrow Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 4QH. Please note, Geoff Meaden is on holiday at present and during week beginning 8th September.

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20th June 2005