THERE are further delays for the new Havant Thicket Reservoir after a crunch meeting was brought to an abrupt halt.

Havant Borough Council’s planning committee members had two applications before them in regard to the details of the embankment of the reservoir. Covering the design, siting, scale, appearance of the embankment and to specific changes to the valve tower, control house and culvert which all pipe the water in and out from the reservoir.

Havant Thicket Reservoir is a £340 million scheme by Portsmouth Water and Southern Water which aims to secure more reliable and resilient water resources for our area and the wider South East, according to Portsmouth Water.

During the meeting, Councillor Elizabeth Lloyd (Independent, Stakes) said she was going to ask a "stupid question" because she was very confused by the two papers being so similar and asked for clarification.

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(Left to right) Steve Weaver, Narinder Lakham, Alex Robinson, Chair Cllr R Brown, Hilary Hudson And Ernest Lam Ldrs (Image: Noni Needs) After the first vote and as members moved on to discussing the second part it became clear there had been a misunderstanding. The details of the plans including the valve tower had been approved.

At which point, Cllr Lloyd said she had been "duped." She had made her vote under misguided clarification and wanted to take the vote again. 

The councillor believed that for phase three of the plans, the vote was about the principle of changing plans not the detail of it. 

Council officer Alex Robinson, executive head of place, said: "The principle of the valve tower and the principle of the changes to the embankment have been approved and voted on."

Councillor Jonathan Hulls (Liberal Democrats, Hayling West) said there was a lot of confusion over the votes and two parts of the plan.

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Havant Thicket Reservoir October 13 Planning Committee C) Hbc Documents (Image: Havant Borough Council) Councillor David Keast (Conservatives, Cowplain) was told by Mr Robinson that once a vote had been taken it stands, even when a councillor “feels they have been misled”.

Hillary Hudson, council solicitor, said she did not have enough information to say if there was a precedent to retake a vote.

Planning committee chair Councillor Richard Brown (Lab, Leigh Park Hermitage) proposed a vote to members to suspend the meeting which was agreed, with the next steps now being considered.

After the meeting, a Havant Borough Council spokesperson said: "Following the vote on the first application heard last night, a point of order was raised by a member of the committee. This resulted in the adjournment of the meeting. The point of order is being looked into and the council will brief members on the next steps."

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Hbc Main Reservoir Embankment Changes (Image: Havant Borough Council) Mr Robinson, executive head of place, reminded members that the project has planning consent and it is the detail that must be dealt with in these applications. 

Since the application was first approved in 2021, geological investigations have taken place by Future working with Portsmouth Water which is building the site which means changes to the planning application have to be made. 

The changes include the embankment growing in overall length by 30 metres to 2,800 metres and the shoreline slope holding the water becoming gentler from a 1:8 to a 1:9 gradient. The valve tower moves from being hidden in the embankment’s core to 20 metres from the shoreline in the water. 

This planning process has eight phases of development to be approved through planning either by committee or by council officers. The joint project with East Hampshire District Council means both councils have to approve their part of each phase.