Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on delivering the Fens Reservoir.
Answered by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government is driving delivery programme coordination, through the Water Delivery Taskforce, which was established to ensure water companies follow through on their planned investments and provide the water and wastewater capacity communities need. The Taskforce brings together the Environment Agency, Natural England, and other government departments to co-ordinate the programme delivery of the new reservoirs and ensure increased water supply is available to avoid shortfalls. Anglian Water have attended the Taskforce to update on the progress of the Fens Reservoir.
The Planning and Infrastructure Act, passed in 2025, contains measures to streamline the DCO process and reform compulsory purchase to make delivery faster and cheaper; subject to examination and full planning considerations. Once Anglian Water submit a DCO application, these changes will enable a decision to be made more quickly, reducing delays in the planning process.
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