Regulators have said they do not want to see a formal application to create the new Fens Reservoir submitted later than March 2027.

The proposed reservoir is planned for completion by 2036, if it gets permission to go ahead.

The scheme has been designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). This means a final decision on whether it can go ahead will be made by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Before they make the decision a Development Consent Order (DCO) application will need to be submitted and examination hearings held for planners to make a recommendation on whether it should go ahead.

placeholder image — What the new reservoir could look like

The reservoir is proposed for land between Chatteris and March to meet growing demand for water in the East of England.

Once in operation, it could supply up to 87 million litres of water a day, supplying up to 250,000 homes a year.

The project is being led by Anglian Water and Cambridge Water.

The water companies have said a reservoir would offer a “reliable water supply for generations to come” and would reduce the demand placed on sensitive water sources, such as chalk streams.

The project website said: “Reservoirs are sustainable ways of producing resilient, safe drinking water supplies because they take from river catchments which have surplus water.

“They mean we can make the most of wet weather for public water supply, capturing river water that would otherwise drain to the sea and storing it so it’s on tap when needed.

“Our vision for the project 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 environment.”

Earlier this year Anglian Water and Cambridge Water asked for more time to prepare information for its ‘gate three submission’, where it has to present updated information on the developing project.

The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID), made up of three water regulators, including Ofwat, the Environment Agency, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate, is responsible for assessing the developing information for the project.

In a letter to the two water companies, RAPID confirmed it would delay the gate three submission, which had originally been set at March 31, 2025.

However, the regulators said they would only delay it until April 2026, rather than until between August and October 2026, as had been requested.

The letter also set out plans for an interim conditional review in October, where RAPID said it wanted to see updates on a series of points related to the project.

The letter said: “RAPID considers that the dates set above are necessary to maintain momentum for the scheme to stay on track for the DCO application, which we do not want to see being delayed beyond March 2027.

“It is also important that our focus in 2026 turns to developing your commercial and delivery arrangements for inclusion in your stage three submission to Ofwat.

“We expect your gate three submission to meet regulators’ expectations and to be a quality and complete submission.”