'At best it looks like a car park and at worst a Soviet-style nuclear bunker'

Locals are furious after a huge indoor reservoir resembling a 'Soviet nuclear bunker' was built in their village.

- by Neil Fatkin

The new reservoir built on Green Belt land in Springwell.

Residents in Springwell Village were shocked to discover the vast structure being erected a stone's throw away from their homes.

The imposing 100m (328ft) by 75m (24.6ft) building is the same size as three football pitches and stands 9m (30ft) high.

It was built to hold a staggering 9.5 million gallons of water-enough to supply 50,000 homes through 5.5km (3.4 miles) of underground pipes.

Work started on the £26million Springwell Service Reservoir in June 2023 and was due to be completed this year, but delays have pushed that back to 2026.

Northumbrian Water originally said the roof would be covered in grass to blend in with the scenery.

But aerial pictures show the vast roof covered in 2,400 tonnes of grey gravel, leaving locals stunned.