The next 12 months could define the future of the Thames—your voice matters!

2025 is going to be critically important year for those opposed to the Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) proposals. During the next few months, Thames Water will undertake its statutory consultation. This is when the public can make their opinion known. Thames Water should present its social and environmental investigations for all to see. Thames Water (TW) should then respond to the public’s comments before proceeding with submitting to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration and decision by the Secretary of State in 2026.

Throughout 2024 we saw how the proposals continued to change and evolve, meaning that people who were previously unaware of the scheme were now being sent compulsory purchase letters saying the land under their homes would potentially be acquired by TW. At the same time, many of the questions that we at SOLAR had put to them remained unanswered, not least those relating to how they reach the TDRA representing Best Value, and also how the introduction of treated effluent was considered to be an environmentally sound and sustainable solution.

Read the rest of our March newsletter and plans to address this by clicking here