See below for the update received via email on 19.9.24.
We’re writing with an update regarding Anglian Water and Cambridge Water’s proposed new reservoir in the Fens and its connecting infrastructure.
Our phase two consultation closed on 9 August 2024 after running for eight weeks. We’d like to thank everyone who took part – we received a great deal of useful and informative feedback, and we’re now analysing this so that we can further develop our proposals. In the meantime, from the end of September we will be starting some survey work in your area to help us understand more about the land we could be working on. The data we collect from these surveys will help inform the development of our proposals going forward.
Our contractors will need to access various parts of the associated infrastructure locations outlined in our phase two proposals, in order to undertake this work. All work on private land is being conducted only with the permission of landowners.
Our ground investigation surveys will take place at several locations where above ground infrastructure may to be located, such as pumping stations and service reservoirs. The work will include boreholes and trial pits and will require vehicular access and a welfare van for on-site staff. We are liaising with the relevant landowners and planning authorities, to ensure all relevant licences are in place prior to investigation work starting.
We will also be carrying out non-intrusive environmental surveys across the indicative project boundary, to help us understand the key ecological considerations as we develop our proposals further. These visits will take place on foot over the course of around three months, with all land access agreed voluntarily prior to entry.
This means people may see a small number of personnel at these locations over the course of a month, though we expect all activity to be low-level with minimal disruption or visibility to the general public.
We would like to reassure you that these survey works are not a sign of construction work starting on the project. Anglian Water and Cambridge Water do not yet have planning permission to begin construction of the reservoir. If planning consent is granted, our aim is to commence construction in 2029.
We are actively engaging with national bodies such as Natural England, the Environment Agency, and the relevant local authorities to keep them informed about our proposals and any potential impacts on protected sites. Our teams are also taking care during survey work to avoid disturbing any species or habitat areas within the areas in which they are working wherever possible. We will continue to consult with these organisations throughout the process, including keeping them informed about the outcome of our surveys.
If you would like to stay up to date on the project, please register to receive our newsletter by following this link here. In the meantime, we will continue to keep you and other local representatives informed as our survey works progress.
If you have any questions or queries at all, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Kind regards
Fens Reservoir Project Team
Anglian Water and Cambridge Water are proposing a new reservoir in the Fens that will secure water supply to our customers for future generations.
To contact the Fens reservoir team, please email us at info@fensreservoir.co.uk or call our hotline on 0800 915 2492 and leave a message.
For any other enquiries about Anglian Water, please visit www.anglianwater.co.uk/contact-us/.
For any other enquiries about Cambridge Water, please visit https://www.cambridge-water.co.uk/contact-us.