Government steps in on major Fens Reservoir project but Cambs mayor keen to ensure local involvement

The government has intervened on a major reservoir project in Cambridgeshire in order to accelerate the planning process.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed has seized control of the planning process to build two major reservoirs in the UK, The Fens Reservoir and Lincolnshire Reservoir, which will be the first built since the 1990s.

Reservoirs, which collect and store water, are essential to keep water supply reliable and consistent.

The Fens Reservoir would hold up to 55 billion litres of water and supply a much needed 87 million litres a day to 250,000 homes in the driest region of the UK.

The Lincolnshire Reservoir, south-east of Sleaford, would provide up to 166 million litres of water per day for up to 500,000 homes.

Located between the towns of Chatteris and March, the Fens Reservoir is set to be completed in 2036.

While Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayor Paul Bristow was pleased that the project is being accelerated, he remains keen to ensure local stakeholders have an input.

Mr Bristow said: “The most important thing is that local councils and actors are focused on this being good for The Fens rather than just a big hole in the ground.

“This has got to be a centre for leisure, tourism and it’s got to be a new chapter in the story of The Fens.

“It can be like Rutland Water, it can be like Grafham Water. It’s also got to be linked to new infrastructure, a better link in Chatteris or Wisbech whether that be by some sort of light rail solution or road transport improvements.”

He added: “I think the way the government described it is slightly unfortunate saying it’s for the government to decide and not the local people, but I’m pleased that the planning process could be sped up.

“There’s no reason to think that local involvement would mean delays. What we’ve got to make sure happens now is delivery is stepped up, we’ve just got to get on with it.”

Mr Bristow said he will make sure everyone, including stakeholders and councillors locally, still have an input throughout the process.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said the government is “backing the builders not the blockers” by intervening and “slashing red tape” to make the planning process faster.

Both reservoir projects will now progress to consultation phase, where developers gather views from communities and stakeholders.

Water from the River Nene in Peterborough and its counter drain will be transferred to the reservoir.

Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes said: “Today’s announcement that the government is speeding up plans for the much-needed Fens Reservoir is welcome news.

“The project, delivered in partnership with Anglian Water and Cambridge Water, will help safeguard water for up to 250,000 homes and ease the pressure on our precious chalk streams and aquifers.

“At a time when climate change is making water security ever more important, the reservoir will also support local jobs, farming, and our environment.

“This will be the first major reservoir for 30 years, and will be critical to jobs, regeneration and supporting new homes in the region.

“I’m committed to making sure local people have their say as the plans develop, so we get the best for Peterborough and real benefits for everyone in our community.”

Water companies have committed to bring nine new reservoirs online by 2050, in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Kent, East Sussex and the West Midlands.

These reservoirs alone have the potential to provide 670 million litres of extra water per day.

Director of strategic asset management at Anglian Water, Sian Thomas, said: “Supporting economic growth sits at the core of Anglian Water’s mission and purpose to deliver a prosperous region and UK economy.

“Our vision for the reservoirs goes beyond simply creating a new public water supply. This is a significant investment in England’s water infrastructure and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver lasting benefits for people, place and the environment.

“Not only will the reservoirs be critical in keeping taps running, but they also mean more water can be left in some of the region’s most environmentally sensitive habitats, by reducing the need for abstraction.

“This is a great first step in recognising the scale and importance of these major infrastructure builds but it will require even further innovation and change in regulation to deliver major infrastructure on the scale needed for the UK – for example, developing appropriate infrastructure financing, funding, and procurement models, further reviewing planning reform, and achieving greater regulatory alignment.

“We have shared these recommendations with Ofwat and welcome the focus of the Task Force for Water and the Cunliffe Commission’s review of the regulatory landscape to go further and faster to improve the nation’s water infrastructure.”