Residents in sleepy UK village fume over 'monstrous' indoor reservoir 'like Soviet bunker'

Residents of sleepy Springwell Village in Tyne and Wear are up in arms after a huge indoor reservoir was built just a stone's throw from their homes. The towering structure, measuring 100m by 75m and reaching 9m in height, is equivalent to the size of three football pitches. Constructed to hold 9.5 million gallons of water, it has the capacity to supply 50,000 homes via 3.4 miles of underground pipework.

Work on the £26 million Springwell Service Reservoir began in June 2023, with completion expected this year, but setbacks have pushed the finish date back to 2026. Northumbrian Water had initially pledged that the roof would be grass-covered to blend in with the surrounding landscape. However, aerial images show the vast roof covered with 2,400 tonnes of grey gravel, leaving locals flabbergasted.

Residents living near the reservoir have slammed Northumbrian Water, branding the structure an "ugly eyesore".

Chris Green expressed his disappointment, saying: "They are not delivering on their intention, promise or plan to return this area - a corridor of wildlife - to its original state.

"They've inserted a rather large structure into the hillside and we were led to believe it would look natural, as it did when they started. Now we have tonnes of gravel on top of what looks like three football pitches."

Another local resident added: "At best it looks like a car park and at worst like a Soviet-style nuclear bunker. The water company had a chance to make the roof a wildlife haven or a grassy hill but instead it's just an ugly eyesore.

"This is such a lovely area, rich in wildlife and diversity and then there's this monstrous concrete box standing in the middle of it all."

Residents also claim they have suffered years of disruption from lorries and diggers excavating thousands of tonnes of soil and stone.

Northumbrian Water has defended its decision to replace turf with gravel on a reservoir roof, stating it was done to "protect the integrity" of the tank below.

A spokesperson said: "We received updated industry guidance from UK Water Industry Research which recommends a gravel or shingle roof covering as best practice to protect water quality in the reservoir.

"Gravel offers superior performance in maintaining the integrity of the reservoir tank when compared to grass roofs. The change is not about cost.

"We have been honest with people about the change to the roof and the need for it, and have been working with residents throughout the project to find ways to mitigate the impact of the reservoir."