The UK government has reclassified two major reservoir projects in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire as “nationally significant infrastructure,” fast-tracking them through the planning system to secure long-term water resilience.
The move shifts approval authority from local planning bodies to the Environment Secretary, aiming to streamline a process that typically faces delays from local objections and regulatory bottlenecks. The Fens Reservoir is scheduled for completion by 2036, while the Lincolnshire Reservoir is set for completion by 2040.
These projects are part of a broader strategy to address rising water demand driven by climate change, population growth, housing developments, and increased industrial use, including pressure from sectors like data centres. The fast-track announcement follows a dry spring and growing concerns over the frequency of droughts, particularly in eastern England, one of the driest and most water-stressed parts of the UK.
The government also confirmed plans to classify seven additional reservoir proposals as nationally significant, supporting a wider initiative announced in 2023 to develop nine new reservoirs by 2050. Together, these projects aim to supply an extra 670 million litres of water per day.
While welcomed by infrastructure and water industry leaders, the announcement has raised concerns over costs, public opposition, and the timeline, none of the new reservoirs are expected to be operational this decade.
