Report Reviews Proposed Fens Reservoir Plans

Proposals for a reservoir in The Fens, designed to supply 250,000 homes, have been examined in a recent report, prompting several local authorities to request further details. This reservoir, situated just north of Chatteris in Cambridgeshire, is intended to store up to 50,000,000,000 litres of water. The government’s Planning Inspectorate has released its scoping opinion—a document that forms part of the planning process—regarding the proposed undertaking. Anglian Water, which has partnered with Cambridge Water for this project, indicated that it is currently reviewing the report. Anglian Water and Cambridge Water stated that the reservoir would assist them in reducing their reliance on “environmentally sensitive” rivers and underground aquifers, while also offering recreational opportunities. The reservoir is projected to have a surface area of approximately five sq km (two square miles) and would include associated infrastructure for capturing and transferring water within the broader Fens area. Water is planned to be abstracted and transferred to the reservoir from the Middle Level System of drains and waterways, the Ouse Washes, the River Great Ouse near Bluntisham, and the River Nene at Peterborough. Treated water would then be dispatched to Bluntisham and Madingley in Cambridgeshire, and to Bexwell, located near Downham Market in Norfolk. A scoping opinion is a document where the Planning Inspectorate specifies the information applicants must provide when submitting an environmental statement, which accompanies an application for development consent. Cambridge Water and Anglian Water’s second consultation on the project concluded in August, and the initiative is presently in the pre-application stage with the government agency. The document instructed the two water companies to furnish details concerning the design, size, and location, including “worst-case scenario” assessments. Several local authorities and organizations raised concerns and questions about the project within the report. Fenland District Council noted the “no mention” of how to access the site without a car, highlighting its relatively isolated location. The authority also suggested that paid-for car parking might deter individuals with lower incomes from visiting the reservoir. It further expressed that it was “disappointing” that it believed only a limited number of construction jobs would be available for local residents. The Middle Level Commissioners (MLC), the body responsible for managing water levels in The Fens, stated that the project’s dependence on its infrastructure and operations could pose a “significant risk.” The MLC added that it was “already stretched far too thinly” and was under-resourced. Peterborough City Council requested more information about how open space at Tenterhill and Stanground would be affected, while South Cambridgeshire District Council highlighted the potential impact on “locally sensitive” landscapes caused by pipes and infrastructure leading to a connection point near Madingley, on the outskirts of Cambridge. “We are now considering the detail so that it can inform the assessments we will be undertaking as we continue to develop our proposals,” an Anglian Water spokesperson said. The subsequent phase of the process involves Anglian Water and Cambridge Water submitting their application documents to the Planning Inspectorate, a step anticipated in the first quarter of 2026.