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From the archive, first published Thursday 4th Aug 2005.

A new nature reserve and conservation area is proposed on part of the site of two lakes between Abingdon and Radley into which millions of tonnes of spent coal ash could be dumped.

The project is the latest move by RWE npower to try to disarm the growing number of protests about plans to drain then fill up Thrupp and Bullfield lakes -- exhausted gravel pits -- with pulverised coal ash.

But protesters remain unconvinced. The newly-formed Save Radley Lakes group said the company's plans threatened to ruin an important environmental and ecological site containing many protected plants and wildlife.

The group has called in Oxford West and Abingdon MP Evan Harris to help and a special meeting of Radley Parish Council is being held tonight (Thursday) at 7.30pm when members of the public can give their views.

Conscious of growing concerns RWE npower has released details of its nature reserve plan which it hopes will satisfy protesters.

Company spokesman Leon Flexman said: "After listening to residents' concerns regarding we plan to transform part of the area into a nature reserve with public access, following its filling and restoration."

But the chairman of Save Radley Lakes Basil Crowley was unimpressed. He said: "They would have created the nature reserve anyway after the two lakes had been filled up.

"The point is that this scheme will not mitigate the destruction of these two very important wildlife sites. Our opposition to the plans will continue.

"Planning permission was granted in the early 1980s for other old gravel pits and still applies to the last two lakes. But time has moved on and the county council must give serious consideration to our views if these two environmentally valuable lakes are to be saved.

"It is going to cost the company a vast amount of money to drain, line and fill these lakes and restore them and the wildlife already there will be lost, including important protected species. They could spend that money on buying recycling equipment."

After touring the lakes, Dr Harris said: "I will be talking to RWE npower about their proposals and will seek assurances that all options to deal with the ash are being explored."

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