A water company has put forward initial plans to connect drinking water infrastructure to a large housing project on the outskirts of Didcot, spanning two council areas in Oxfordshire.

The firm has submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment screening request to both South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils for the construction of what has been termed the ‘Didcot Valley Park Trunk Main’.

The proposal involves laying approximately 4.7 kilometres of new underground pipework, connecting the Hagbourne Hill Service Reservoir to the existing Steventon Diversion Main at a point just north of the A4130 road.

Roughly one kilometre of the southern portion of this underground pipeline would sit within the South Oxfordshire district boundary, while the remaining 3.7 kilometres would fall under Vale of White Horse District Council control.

The Didcot Valley Park development, being built by Persimmon Homes, will comprise 4,250 homes in total, along with retail facilities, schools, community and leisure spaces, public parks and planted areas in the western sector of Didcot.

Advisory company Stantec filed initial paperwork with the councils on behalf of Thames Water Utilities Ltd for the new main, indicating that providing drinking water to this substantial scheme would require ‘changes’ to the existing clean water supply system.

The application documentation noted that the project held local importance and that no lasting above-ground features would be placed in sensitive areas.

It added that a key consideration for the pipeline build concerned the temporary nature of any potential environmental effects.

Once finished and the affected land reinstated, the pipeline would not be observable at ground level, meaning any visual impact on the surrounding area would be limited to the construction period.

The councils are anticipated to advise the applicant on whether a comprehensive Environmental Assessment is necessary for the scheme by early April.