The planning process

Delivering the reservoirs

 

Construction of the new reservoirs, subject to planning consent, could begin between 2025 and 2030 and they could start supplying water to homes by the mid to late 2030s.

Due to their strategic importance to our future water supply, both projects are classified as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). 

About Nationally Significant Infrastructure

 

These are projects where the government provides the final approval to proceed, including the planning permission.

 

This permission is called a Development Consent Order (DCO), and the legal process to obtain consent under the Planning Act 2008 is tightly regulated by the Planning Inspectorate.

 

You can find out more about this process on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

 

There are many obligations and requirements that any organisation looking to obtain a DCO must commit to. One of the most important is to set out and deliver an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which comprehensively assesses the impact of the projects on the environment and sets out the measures that will be taken to mitigate or offset them.

 

Another key requirement is to undertake comprehensive community and stakeholder engagement on the project. That means, to offer clear communication about the project process, and create an environment which will allow communities and stakeholders to easily share their views and help shape the development of the proposals.

 

Help shape our proposals

 

You can play an important role in helping to shape our proposals, so they best serve the needs of everyone.

 

Your feedback will help us to develop the designs of the reservoirs and understand what people would like to see as part of the two projects.

 

Our phase one consultations took place from 12 October until 21 December 2022.

 

We have received really valuable feedback from local people and stakeholders and want to thank everyone for taking part in the two consultations.

 

It’s clear people want us to think carefully about effects on place and communities, roads and transport, agriculture and the local economy, and the natural environment. These are important issues for us too.

 

Many people are also positive about the opportunities the two new reservoirs could bring to the region and want to see areas for recreation, wildlife, and places to get out and explore.

 

All the feedback we received is being reviewed, recorded and carefully considered, and we’ll prepare and publish summaries of the feedback so that people can see the key themes and issues raised.

 

What happens next?

 

We’re now developing a design for the reservoir to give everyone a better idea of what it could look like – something many people have told us they’re keen to understand.

 

This will include proposed locations for the equipment we need, such as water treatment works and pumping station, and early thinking on opportunities for recreation and wildlife.

 

We’ll also be developing our plans for getting water to the reservoir and then from the reservoir to homes and businesses across the East of England.

 

This was the first of three phases of consultation and will keep people updated as our proposals and plans for further consultations progress.

 

People will get another opportunity to have their say on our proposals in the next consultation in 2024.

 

  • To find out more about our proposed new reservoir in Lincolnshire and keep up to date with the latest news, visit the project website here.
  •  
    To find out more about our proposed new reservoir in the Fens and keep up to date with the latest news, visit the project website here.