Potential safety risks at the new Havant Thicket reservoir

There are fears people could drown at the new Havant Thicket reservoir as a crucial building will now be built in the water – which could lure people in to try and swim around it.

There will be ‘strictly no swimming’ signs put up to try and stop people from trying to swim around the valve tower, which will be close to a nearby housing estate.

It comes as the vote by councillors that agreed phase three of plans for Havant Thicket’s valve tower to be sited in the water, on October 31, stands. 
Members at the reconvened planning meeting on November 13 heard from the council’s solicitor that there would be no revote on the embankment redesign plans they had approved. 

The request for a revote at a Havant Borough Council’s planning committee meeting that was abruptly adjourned over a point of order after a councillor said she had been given information that misled her has been resolved. 

The plans they agreed put the valve tower in the water 20 metres offshore. The valve tower is needed for access to the culvert, outlet pipe and valves, meaning water can flow in and out of the reservoir. 

The council’s chief legal officer Jo McIntosh said: “It’s clear to me that members have been adequately advised.”

She said after subsequent discussions between the councillors and officers: “Members have confirmed that they understand the vote that was taken and the information provided to support the decision.”

Despite the decision on October 31 that agreed the design, siting, scale and appearance of the changes to the embankment, Councillor Elizabeth Lloyd (Independent, Stakes) said the “lure of the valve tower” would be “tantalising” as it was close to the shore now that it was sited in the water. 

Cllr Lloyd proposed an addition to the planning application, agreed by the council members, that would ensure Portsmouth Water and partner Future Water carried out an enhanced risk assessment. She said she wanted measures put in place that would “absolutely minimise the risk of drowning”, especially with a housing estate so near to the reservoir. 

Conservative councillor David Keast (Cowplain) said unlike other reservoirs Havant Thicket has houses next to it and there are plans to build more houses. He requested “strictly no swimming” signs as one of the measures. 

As head of place, council officer Alex Robinson will discharge the delegated measures discussed and will not come back to the committee. Mr Robinson reassured members they would be listened to and would be consulted before the valve tower was built.

The two-part planning application for phase three of the new reservoir was therefore approved. The embankment changes came about after geological investigations from Portsmouth Water’s partner Future Water meant they were needed over fears the embankment could collapse under the weight of water.

Developer changes to the embankment will make it longer and wider with a gentler slope to handle the pressure behind it – and move the valve tower into the water.

Tracey Viney, a retired Portsmouth Water reservoir project manager, said: “It is shocking that the real business of the meeting took place behind closed doors, when the planning committee councillors met officers and political leaders before the main committee meeting so that the heated discussion and real level of concern amongst councillors could not be heard, preventing true democracy from taking place.”

Bob Taylor, chief executive officer for Portsmouth Water, said: “By widening the embankment footprint and moving the valve tower away from the clay core, we significantly reduce the risk of embankment instability, thus enhancing overall reservoir safety.

“Once complete, Havant Thicket Reservoir will play a fundamental role in protecting world-renowned chalk streams in the South East, as well as securing sustainable water supplies for decades to come.”

After the meeting, resident Pat Brooks, who spoke at the last meeting, said: “From the point of view of Havant Climate Alliance and Havant Friends of the Earth, this is a disappointing outcome. We remain very concerned about the increased drowning risk that will result from the position of the valve tower out in the water.” 

The next step is for East Hampshire District Council to consider its part of phase three of the application as the reservoir is in both local authorities.
Plans can be viewed online for application reference APP/24/00312 and APP/24/00311 at the borough council’s planning meeting on November 13.