Villagers have shared their fury over a massive £26million indoor reservoir that resembles a ‘Soviet nuclear bunker’.
Residents in the sleepy village of Springwell, in Tyne and Wear, were shocked to discover the mammoth structure being erected a stone’s throw away from their front doors.
The structure is built to hold a staggering 9.5million gallons of water – enough to supply 50,000 homes through 3.4 miles of underground pipes.
And, unsurprisingly, in order to hold such a large quantity of water the imposing reservoir is the size of three football pitches and stands 30ft high.
To reduce the scar on the picturesque North East countryside surrounding the plot, Northumbrian Water originally said the roof would be covered in grass to blend in with the scenery.
However the aerial pictures show the vast roof covered in 2,400 tonnes of grey gravel leaving villagers unimpressed who have blasted the building as an ‘ugly eyesore’.
Chris Green said: ‘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 unnamed neighbour said: ‘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 say they have been forced to live with years of disruption from vehicles and machinery digging out thousands of tonnes of earth and rock.
Sales director Steve Woods, 51, paid £400,000 for a newly built four-bed detached house on the estate.
He and partner Danielle, 44, and their six-year-old son, moved into their dream home in February 2023, just months before the building work began.
Steve said: ‘Our house is about 25 yards from the reservoir building so we see it every day.
‘If we had known then about the extent of the building work we would never have bought the house.
‘The building work has caused dirt, dust and noise for years. Now it just looks horrible.
‘We just want the building to blend in with the nature around us, which is what the water company said they would do.’The water company said it amended plans to swap grass on the roof for gravel in order to ‘protect the integrity’ of the reservoir tank inside.
Work started on the £26m Springwell Service Reservoir in June 2023 and was due to be completed this year but delays have pushed that back to 2026.
A spokesperson for Northumbrian Water 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.’
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