THAMES Water has been accused of dragging its feet over plans for a huge new reservoir between Abingdon and Wantage.

More than a year on from the start of consultations, the Vale of White Horse District Council said there had been no detailed answers to its questions.

But the water company denied it was being obstructive.

Meanwhile, the Government said that there would be no extra funding for the council to support its investigations into the need for a reservoir.

In September last year, Thames Water unveiled its plans. They focused on the need for water until 2030 and what measures it would take, including a proposed reservoir on land between Drayton, Steventon and East Hanney.

The council asked questions about the proposed £1bn reservoir and said the case for a reservoir had not been proved.

The Vale has commissioned a report from a firm of specialist consultants to examine the leisure, landscape and visual impact a reservoir would have on the area.

Their report predicted up to a million visitors each year, but said the absence of any visitor projections from Thames Water made it difficult to assess car park provision and the impact on local roads.

Tony de Vere, who chairs the council's reservoir advisory group, said: "Even allowing for the delay in the process, as a statutory consultee, we would expect a detailed response sent directly to us from Thames Water. So far we have received nothing.

"We have a duty to scrutinise the proposals and it takes considerable officer time and resources, including hiring expertise to help us. We will consider further measures to try to obtain funding."

The final proposals for the reservoir will be included in the draft plan due to be published for consultation next spring. This will delay the likely date for the submission of the application for the compulsory works order for the reservoir until spring, 2010.

A spokesman for Thames Water said it published an interim report in August as a general response to comments made during the second public consultation in January about conservation, recreation and design aspects of the proposed reservoir.

He said: "We are currently working on our Water Resources Management Plan - due for release next spring - to see if and when the proposed reservoir is still required. We cannot answer questions from the first stage of our consultation last year until the Water Resources Management Plan is published.

"It would be premature to respond in full to the Vale council or anyone else at this stage on reservoir design issues. However, consultation with our customers, the community and the council will continue and we welcome continued dialogue from all quarters."