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Three Northumbrian Water workers wearing orange jackets

Springwell Enhancements Project

Northumbrian Water, in partnership with Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB), completed the main construction of the new service reservoir at the end of May 2026.

We have now moved into the commissioning phase, where we are preparing the reservoir to be brought into operation. Alongside this, we will be carrying out any outstanding planting and reinstatements with the remaining trees and hedges to be planted in November 2026.

Once fully operational, the reservoir will become an important operational part of the North East’s water network.

Start Date: May 2023

Estimated End Date: Autumn 2026.

Partner: Mott MacDonald Bentley

Investment Value: £56 million

Male Northumbrian water employee in front of house

Guiding Principles.pdf

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Open for participation

Phases

Phases overview

Phase 1: Project Updates

Project Updates

Project Updates

13 March 2025 00:00 - No end date

Keep up to date with the latest news, progress and upcoming work on our project.

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Community Hub Admin Team 3 weeks ago Hi everyoneAs the project moves into its final stages, you may notice that there is less visible activity on site and fewer updates being shared on the Community Hub. Please be assured that we will continue to post any key updates.Over the next week or so, post and rail fencing works will continue along the eastern SuDS area as we progress towards completion.If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.Many thanksThe Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 1 month ago Springwell Community Litter Pick SuccessLast week, colleagues from across Northumbrian Water & MMB came together for a fantastic community litter pick in Springwell, working alongside Keep Washington Tidy , ahead of the 1940s Weekend celebrations 🎉.The clean-up was to celebrate World Environment Day 🌍, and to support the community ❤️, with members of our Springwell project team taking part.25 bags full of rubbish 🗑️ were collected, ensuring visitors saw the village at its best 🌿✨.

Community Hub Admin Team 1 month ago Hi everyoneAs activity on site has significantly reduced, you may notice a small number of works continuing over the coming days.These include the installation of fencing along Broom Court, along with the completion of the kerbs in our working area off Leam Lane.The original site compound has now been removed, and a smaller, temporary setup is in place to support the final commissioning stage of the works.If you have any questions or would like any further information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch - we're here to help.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 2 months ago Hello everyoneWe hope you enjoyed the bank holiday weekend. We wanted to share a quick update on what’s planned on site this week:• Removal of the remaining double‑stacked cabins• Continued removal of spoil from the site compound, along with reinstatement of the area• Ongoing installation of the reservoir boundary fence and gates• Reinstatement of the kerb line at the Leam Lane entrance, returning it to its original conditionThe remaining works within the reservoir are minor, and we expect disruption to continue to reduce as activities near completion.If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.Thank you,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 2 months ago Hi everyone,With the bank holiday fast approaching, this update outlines the planned activities on site for both this week and the week commencing 25 May.W/C 18 May Seeding activities will be carried out around the reservoir. The new site compound set up Wagons will continue to access the compound area to remove stone and other materials. W/C 25 May Installation of the boundary fence and the post and rail fence. Installation of the remaining sections of the security fence, followed by installation of the site gates the week after. Much of the visible activity over the next couple of weeks will take place within the compound area. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment in the box below and a member of the Project Team will respond accordingly.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 2 months ago Hi everyone, As we continue to progress through the final stages of the project, the following works will be taking place this week: Seeding works will commence to the East, West, and South of the reservoir. Approximately 90% of the works to construct the SuDS to the South of the reservoir are now complete. Once finished, the current site entrance used by the Site Team will be permanently closed, and the South-Western access route will become the main entrance to the reservoir site. The Eastern SuDS has now been seeded. The existing Heras fencing will remain in place until the seed establishes, after which it will be replaced with post and rail fencing over the coming weeks. The reduction of the site compound is continuing and progressing well. New cabins are due to arrive next week to form a smaller compound to support the commissioning phase, once all civils works have been completed. The current cabins will be removed over the next couple of weeks. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, we're happy to help.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 3 months ago Hello everyone,We wanted to share a quick update on our planned works for next week, ahead of the bank holiday weekend.You may have noticed the reservoir has taken on a bright green colour. This is temporary and is due to hydroseeding — a method used to apply grass seed to sloped or raised areas. The green colouring helps the seed stick in place and protects it from being washed or blown away.Planned activities for next week: Work will continue at the southern SUDS pond Surfacing works will be completed on the north access road Topsoil will be added around the site, and any soil or materials dug up during the works will be removed The stone from the compound area will be removedAs always, if you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below and a member of the team will get back to you.Have a great weekend! The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 3 months ago Hi all,Please see below an update on site activities planned for this week: The final surface will be laid along both the Northern and Southern access roads, with both roads expected to be fully complete by the end of next week. Seeding works will continue in designated areas within the reservoir site. Works will continue at the Southern SuDS. Works to the Eastern SuDS are now complete, with fencing installation taking place this week. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the pothole repairs not being carried out last week. Sunderland Council will attend this week to complete the necessary repairs.Please don’t hesitate to add a comment in the box below if you have any questions for the Team, we’d be happy to help.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 3 months ago Hi everyone,This week, you can expect to see the following activities taking place on Site. Seeding across the site will begin shortly as part of the ongoing reinstatements.To support the next phase of the works, as we connect the Southern access route to Mount Lane, temporary traffic management will be in place on Mount Lane.The temporary Eastern traffic lights have now been removed.In addition, wagon movements will reduce significantly as the relocation of topsoil comes to an end, which will help minimise vehicle activity in the area.We've continued liaising with Sunderland City Council about the deterioration of the road surface along Mount Lane. The Council has confirmed that their team will attend later this week to carry out temporary repairs to the affected sections.Thanks for your continued patience and understanding while these works are completed.If you've any questions that you'd like to ask us, please don’t hesitate to add a comment in the box below and a member of the Project Team will respond accordingly.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 3 months ago Hi everyone,We are continuing to make good progress on Site this week. Works currently underway and coming up include: Fencing to the South and West is being installed this week. Eastern and Southern SUDS shaping is also progressing well. The works to relocate the topsoil are nearly complete and as a result the bund beside Broom Court has been reduced the required level. Traffic Management along Mount Park Road will be removed over the next couple of weeks.To allow works to continue on the Southern access road and ensure it connects safely into Mount Lane, traffic management will be in place in this area.Traffic lights will be in place from Friday 24th April until Wednesday 29th April covering over a small area along Mount Lane.If you have any questions, please feel free to add a comment in the box below and a member of the Project Team would be happy to help.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 4 months ago Hi everyone,Please find below an update outlining the planned on-site activities for the next two weeks, including arrangements as we head into the Easter break.Due to unforeseen circumstances, fencing works did not begin as scheduled last week. These works will now commence this week, starting on the Eastern side of the reservoir and continuing throughout April.The traffic management that is currently on Mount Park Road will be moved off the road and won't be in use during the Easter Weekend. This will be temporarily suspended from Thursday 2 April until Tuesday 7 April.W/C 30 March As part of the Site Compound reduction, several cabins will be removed and general tidy‑up works within the compound will continue. Footpath construction will take place in select areas around the reservoir to support future maintenance access. Topsoil works around the North Access Road will continue, with the aim of completing this by the end of the week. W/C 6 April Compound reduction will continue along with stone will be removed from some areas. Fencing installation will progress, moving to the Southern side of the reservoir. At the Southern entrance of the reservoir, tarmac will be laid as part of the ongoing road construction. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment in the box below. A member of the Project Team will be happy to help.We hope you enjoy the long weekend.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 4 months ago

Community Hub Admin Team 4 months ago Hi everyone, As work continues to progress on Site, you may notice the following activities taking place this week.Late last week, we mentioned that once the K Barrier had been removed at Eighton Banks, we would commence with seeding some areas. I am pleased to advise that this has now been carried out, and no further works are required in this area. Eastern fenceline installation will commence this week. Gravel and pin kerbs are being installed to the West side of the reservoir. Stone placement on landowner property, South East of the reservoir is underway. Southern entrance road stoning will continue this week. Required planting will take place next to The Mount Community Centre. Drainage works on the Eastern side are ongoing. Topsoil movement into the Reservoir Site continues. Compound reduction will continue this week. As always, thank you for your continued patience and cooperation as we progress through the final stages of the Project and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 4 months ago Hi everyone,Earlier this week, we advised that traffic management would be in place along Mount Lane whilst work to construct the Southern access route continued.This work will not go ahead today and a revised date will be communicated in due course.Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 4 months ago Hi everyone,As discussed during yesterday evening’s residents’ meeting, the Barrier (shown in the area below) is scheduled for removal. This will take place tomorrow morning and will take around two days to complete.You may see construction plant arriving in the area accompanied by a banksman when entering and leaving the work area. All material will be loaded onto our vehicles and transported to the Site Compound. During this time, you may also notice some slight noise and vibration as part of the works although we will do our best to keep any disruption to a minimum.While this work is taking place, we will also be delivering stone and topsoil to backfill a nearby section within the same area.The public rights of way will remain open throughout, and all activity will be fully contained within the fenced‑off zone.If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to add a comment in the box below.Many thanks, The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 4 months ago Hi everyone,The landscaping contractor has began with planting along the Northern Boundary of the Reservoir. They will also be returning to replant hedges and reinstate fencing along Springwell Road from Monday 16th March, where these were temporarily removed to allow access.As progress on site continues, work on constructing the Southern Access Road will carry on this week. To allow the team to work safely in this area and complete the construction of the road, traffic management will be in place along Mount Lane.We have included a drawing showing the location of the temporary traffic lights, which will remain in place until Friday 27th March.Over the next few weeks, you may also notice the gradual reduction of the site compound. Some of the site cabins and stone will be removed as part of this phase of work.Thank you for your cooperation while traffic management was set up along Mount Park Road to support the relocation of the topsoil bund into the reservoir site. This part of the project is progressing well, and we kindly ask road users to be mindful of local speed limits to help maintain a safe environment for everyone.A quick reminder that some members of the Project Team will be attending the Springwell Village Residents Association meeting tomorrow at Springwell Social Club at 6:30pm.If you have any questions about the project, please feel free to add them in the comment box below.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 4 months ago Hi everyone, We’re pleased to let you know that our landscaping contractor now has availability and will begin reinstating the hedges that were temporarily removed to provide access for the Site Team during the project.Work will take place in the following areas: Saturday 14th March – Boundary along the north side of the reservoir Monday 16th March – Springwell Road We’ll work to complete this as smoothly as possible, with minimal disruption.If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.Many thanks, The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 4 months ago Hello everyone,This week, you may notice the following activities taking place on site: Works to construct the North East access road will continue, with surfacing taking place this week to facilitate the topsoil relocation. Gravel and pin kerbs will be installed to the South of the reservoir. Concrete works will also take place at the inlet chamber. In addition, we will be carrying out the movement of topsoil from the week commencing 16 March, with this phase of work expected to continue until early May. Preliminary works and traffic management are being installed from today to support these activities. During drier spells, the works may create a little dust in the air. With this in mind, you may prefer to keep windows closed or avoid hanging washing out during these weather conditions.Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation while these works are carried out.Please don’t hesitate to add a comment in the box below if you have any questions you'd like to ask.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 4 months ago Hi everyone,Here is this week’s update on the work you may notice around the reservoir site.South of the Reservoir Backfilling to the southern slope of the reservoir is now complete. Preparations for concrete pours are underway, with work expected to begin next week. SuDS drainage connection works will also begin today. North of the Reservoir Preparation works will begin this week to ensure the area is ready for surfacing next week. The first phase of surfacing will cover the section up to the hammerhead/turning circle. Traffic Management & Topsoil RelocationThe team remains on schedule for Monday 9th March, when traffic management will be introduced. Once this is in place, the team will begin preparing the area, with topsoil relocation expected to start later in the week / early the following week.Full details on the traffic‑light locations and the planned topsoil relocation route are available in last week’s update.Fence InstallationFence installation is planned to begin toward the end of this month and continue into April.We will share further information as we approach the start of this work.Please add a comment in the box below if you have any questions, and a member of the Project Team will respond accordingly.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 5 months ago Hi everyone,As we move toward the final stages of the Springwell Reservoir project, we need to carry out some of the remaining works that will affect Mount Park Road.To keep disruption to a minimum, we will be carrying out two activities at the same time: relocating the topsoil bund and excavating a smaller sustainable drainage (SuDS) basin. Doing this together means that we only need to user temporary management once, rather than returning at a later date and causing further disruption.Temporary two‑way traffic lights will be in place on Mount Park Road for eight weeks from Monday 9 March. These lights allow our teams to work safely while keeping traffic moving as smoothly as possible. The lights will be removed for the Easter weekend.Once the work is complete, the area will be fully reinstated and returned to its original condition.You may recall that similar works in the past involved the use of ramps. Following feedback from local residents, we’ve decided not to use ramps for this phase of work.For safety reasons, the footpath on the east side of Mount Park Road will be closed while the work is underway. A clearly signed pedestrian diversion will be in place, and kerb ramps on the South side of the traffic management area to ensure safe access for pushchairs, wheelchairs, and mobility users.We have included a drawing showing the route that will be taken to relocate the top soil and the location of the traffic lights.We’ll also be increasing our road cleaning measures alongside our regular sweeping, to help maintain a tidy and safe environment through the works.We‘ll continue to do everything we can to minimise disruption. Resident access will always be maintained, and our teams will work safely and efficiently while monitoring noise, traffic, and site activity.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 5 months ago Good afternoon everyone,Here’s a quick update on what you can expect to see on site this week as we continue progressing through the final stages of the project:• North East and South West Access Road - Kerb installation continues into this week and is well underway, the team onsite are also progressing the stoning up works to build up the road formation.• South and East - The final backfilling and drainage activities are being completed across these areas.• South East - Drainage installation continues in this area.Thank you for your ongoing patience and cooperation. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to add a comment in the box below and a member of the Project Team will respond accordingly.Many thanks,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 5 months ago Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our recent poll on the preferred colour for the Reservoir’s North East Access Road. We are committed to working closely with the Springwell Village community and took on board feedback relating to the colour of the access road – green or black. Before Christmas, we reached out to a select number of residents to gather their preferences. As the initial response rate was lower than expected, we opened the decision to the wider community through an online poll, allowing more residents to be involved in the choice. We also worked with the Springwell Village Residents Association to help raise awareness of the poll, and their support significantly increased participation. We can now confirm that 56% of respondents favoured black, while 44% preferred green. Based on the poll results, the North East Access Road will be surfaced with black tarmac, reflecting the option favoured by the majority of respondents. Thank you again to everyone who contributed. Your input plays an important role in guiding our decisions and helping us ensure the development aligns with what matters most to the community.

Community Hub Admin Team 5 months ago Hi everyone,Here is our weekly update on what you can expect to see on Site this week: At our North East access route, the drainage gulley connection is scheduled at the end of the week and will involve a small excavation, but please be assured it will not extend onto Mount Park Road. We’ll continue installing kerbs on the North East access road and adding stone to bring the road up to the required level ahead of surfacing works in March. Final backfilling tasks will be completed over the next couple of weeks, ready for topsoil to be brought in and laid in March. Eastern Fenceline UpdateWe’ve been reviewing the position of the eastern fenceline following the helpful feedback we received from local residents.We’re pleased to confirm that following the feedback, the fence line will be moved further inwards toward the reservoir. Please see the attached image for the updated position ahead of the final installation. The posts located between the Herras fencing and the existing green security fence, marked in blue, show the revised location.If you have any further feedback or questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and a member of the Project Team will be happy to respond.Don't forget that it's your last day to vote for the colour of the Northern access road, the poll will close at 6pm today.Thank you once again for your continued support, patience, and collaboration as we complete the final stages of the project.Thank you,The Project Team

Community Hub Admin Team 6 months ago Hi everyone,I’m pleased to share this week’s update, outlining what you can expect to see on site over the next week.North East access – drainage installation is underway, with stone laying to follow.Kerb installation - scheduled for the end of this week, progressing from the North East access through to the West side.Southern Access - Remaining drainage works will also be completed by the end of the week, enabling concrete pouring to begin as planned.We’re still collecting votes on the colour of the North East Access Road, and we’d love to hear from you. Please take a moment to have your say! Click here to select your preferred optionShould there be anything you’d like to ask us regarding the project, please feel free to add a comment below and a member of the Team would be happy to help.Many thanks,The Project Team

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