Bath Road Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Bath Road Reservoir is an underground reservoir
complex in the town of Reading
in the English
county of Berkshire
. Located to the north-west of the Bath Road in West Reading
, the complex covers 5.38 acres (2.2 ha). It comprises two underground reservoirs, covered entirely by vegetation, together with a water tower
that is listed as a grade II listed building.
The site dates back to 1850, when the Reading Union Water Company started construction of the reservoir, which opened in 1852. Originally untreated water was pumped to the reservoir by a pumping station at Southcote Lock
on the River Kennet
, and filtered on site before being gravity fed to consumers in the town. The site was acquired by Reading Borough Council in 1868, and the water tower built in 1870.
New reservoirs were constructed in 1900 and 1939, and these were supplemented by the construction of the Tilehurst Water Tower
, on higher ground elsewhere, in 1932. The northern reservoir fell out of use by 1960, and the newer southern reservoir by 1993. The Bath Road water tower was last used in the 1970s.
The site is no longer required for its original purpose, and Thames Water
, its current owners, have submitted several plans to redevelop the site for housing. This has proved controversial in the surrounding area, largely because it has become home to a wide range of wildlife including protected species. Species sighted on the site include roe deer
, badger
s, owl
s, slow worms
, muntjac
, fox
es, hedgehog
s, and a variety of birds and butterfiles.
In 2008, Thames Water submitted plans for 96 homes on the site. In 2009, Reading Borough Council rejected the plans, but Thames Water appealed against this rejection. In January 2011, this appeal was dismissed by the planning inspector, who said that the benefits of the proposed development would not “outweigh the harm to the character and appearance of the site and the wider area.”
In August 2011, Thames Water announced new plans that would involve the construction of 80 homes on the site, whilst setting aside a small proportion of the land (20%) as a wildlife reserve. The new plans also involve the conversion of the water tower into residential accommodation. Consultation for these new plans will open on September 24, 2011.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
complex in the town of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. Located to the north-west of the Bath Road in West Reading
West Reading
West Reading may refer to:*West Reading, Berkshire, a district of the English town of Reading*West Reading, Pennsylvania, a borough in the US state of Pennsylvania...
, the complex covers 5.38 acres (2.2 ha). It comprises two underground reservoirs, covered entirely by vegetation, together with a water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
that is listed as a grade II listed building.
The site dates back to 1850, when the Reading Union Water Company started construction of the reservoir, which opened in 1852. Originally untreated water was pumped to the reservoir by a pumping station at Southcote Lock
Southcote Lock
Southcote Lock is a lock on the River Kennet at Southcote within the town of Reading in Berkshire, England.Southcote Lock was built between 1718 and 1723 under the supervision of the engineer John Hore of Newbury, and this stretch of the river is now administered by British Waterways and known as...
on the River Kennet
River Kennet
The Kennet is a river in the south of England, and a tributary of the River Thames. The lower reaches of the river are navigable to river craft and are known as the Kennet Navigation, which, together with the Avon Navigation, the Kennet and Avon Canal and the Thames, links the cities of Bristol...
, and filtered on site before being gravity fed to consumers in the town. The site was acquired by Reading Borough Council in 1868, and the water tower built in 1870.
New reservoirs were constructed in 1900 and 1939, and these were supplemented by the construction of the Tilehurst Water Tower
Tilehurst Water Tower
Tilehurst Water Tower, also sometimes known as Park Lane Water Tower, is a distinctive water tower in Tilehurst, a suburb of the English town of Reading...
, on higher ground elsewhere, in 1932. The northern reservoir fell out of use by 1960, and the newer southern reservoir by 1993. The Bath Road water tower was last used in the 1970s.
The site is no longer required for its original purpose, and Thames Water
Thames Water
Thames Water Utilities Ltd, known as Thames Water, is the private utility company responsible for the public water supply and waste water treatment in large parts of Greater London, the Thames Valley, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Kent, and some other areas of in the United Kingdom...
, its current owners, have submitted several plans to redevelop the site for housing. This has proved controversial in the surrounding area, largely because it has become home to a wide range of wildlife including protected species. Species sighted on the site include roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
s, owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
s, slow worms
Anguis
Anguis, or the slow worm, is a small genus of lizard in the family Anguidae. It has two described species.Although they are lizards, slow worms have lost their limbs completely and are often mistaken as snakes. Slow-worms typically grow to between , with the females slightly larger than the males...
, muntjac
Muntjac
Muntjac, also known as Barking Deer and Mastreani Deer, are small deer of the genus Muntiacus. Muntjac are the oldest known deer, appearing 15–35 million years ago, with remains found in Miocene deposits in France, Germany and Poland....
, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, hedgehog
Hedgehog
A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera, found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand . There are no hedgehogs native to Australia, and no living species native to the Americas...
s, and a variety of birds and butterfiles.
In 2008, Thames Water submitted plans for 96 homes on the site. In 2009, Reading Borough Council rejected the plans, but Thames Water appealed against this rejection. In January 2011, this appeal was dismissed by the planning inspector, who said that the benefits of the proposed development would not “outweigh the harm to the character and appearance of the site and the wider area.”
In August 2011, Thames Water announced new plans that would involve the construction of 80 homes on the site, whilst setting aside a small proportion of the land (20%) as a wildlife reserve. The new plans also involve the conversion of the water tower into residential accommodation. Consultation for these new plans will open on September 24, 2011.