Anglian Water and Cambridge Water are proposing a new reservoir project in Fenland. It will help meet the region’s future water supply needs. The reservoir is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). It will be determined by the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs.
Latest news
The Fens Reservoir phase three non-statutory consultation is taking place between Wednesday 15 October and Wednesday 10 December 2025. It will run for for eight weeks in total. Local communities and other relevant stakeholders are invited to feedback on the proposals. Consultation events are scheduled throughout November 2025.
The Fens Reservoir website has been updated to detail the community consultation events. It will be further updated with links to the consultation documentation.
NSIP overview
The project falls into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) process defined through the Planning Act 2008 (as amended). It will be considered under Part 3 Section 27 of the legislation because the reservoir is located in England and the volume of water stored in the reservoir will exceed 30 million cubic meters (see Section 27(1)(c) of the 2008 Act). Responsibility for accepting and examining the NSIP application rests with the Secretary of State and not the local authorities, who are identified as statutory consultees, or ‘host’ authorities, in the NSIP process.
There are 7 ‘host’ local planning authorities (Cambridgeshire County Council, Fenland District Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, Peterborough City Council, Norfolk County Council, and Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk) involved in this NSIP project. The main reservoir site is located within Fenland. Fenland District Council is the main site local authority. The associated infrastructure of the reservoir will be located within Peterborough, Huntingdonshire, South Cambridgeshire, and Norfolk. Cambridgeshire County Council is identified as a host planning authority as the proposals fall within the county council boundary.
The ‘host’ local planning authorities have undertaken to work together as far as possible to ensure full scrutiny of this project is undertaken.
Consultation timeline
Non-statutory consultation phase one: 12 October – 21 December 2022
The first phase of non-statutory consultation (Community Consultations) took place over a 10-week period between 12 October 2022 to 21 December 2022. The consultation events were held around Chatteris, Doddington and Wimblington. Feedback from the phase one consultation (opens as pdf) has been published by Anglian Water on their website.
Non-statutory consultation phase two: 30 May – 9 August 2024
The second phase of non-statutory consultation (Community Consultations) ran from 30 May 2024 to 9 August 2024. Phase two consultation feedback summary (opens as pdf) has been published by Anglian Water on their website.
Further information about the consultation can be found on Anglian Water’s website for the project.
Non-statutory consultation phase three: 15 October – 15 December 2025
The phase three consultation runs from 15 October to 10 December 2025. Local events will take place throughout November. This will give communities and stakeholders a chance to share their views.
The Fens Reservoir website has been updated to detail the community consultation events and will be further updated with links to the consultation documentation.
Have your say
It is important to note that as the ‘host’ planning authorities are not the determining authorities, any correspondence in relation to this matter needs to be directed to Anglian Water and Cambridge Water in the first instance and then the Planning Inspectorate.
For further details of the NSIP process for this project, please visit the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) website.
Further information
If you would like to stay informed about the Fens Reservoir, you can register for updates on the Anglian Water's website.
