Anglian Water to conduct surveys as Lincolnshire reservoir plan moves forward

Survey works will begin soon as Anglian Water’s plans for a multi-billion pound new reservoir move forward.

The scheme would require flooding five square kilometres near Scredington — close to Donington and Billingborough — at the loss of at least 15 homes and farms.

Anglian Water is hoping to submit the Lincolnshire Reservoir application in 2028, with construction starting around 2031 if it’s approved. It is one of a number of key projects planned for the area in the coming years.

The surveys are being carried out to gather information about the land and its environment to influence the designs.

“We’d like to reassure you that these survey works are not a sign of construction work starting on the project,” the water company told residents in an update.

“We are still developing our proposals in order to submit a planning application to the Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) under the Development Consent Order (DCO) process.

“Following our second phase of consultation, we have seen a change to our programme, which has pushed our DCO application back by two years to 2028/29.

“This change won’t impact our water into supply date of 2039 at the earliest. However, we’re now moving forward with the project and making progress with our proposals, starting with our upcoming survey works.”

Anglian Water says a new reservoir is vital for the region, which it says is the driest in the UK. Another development is planned for a site near Chatteris and has been branded the ‘Fens’ reservoir.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently gave the government’s backing for the project, although it would still need to obtain the DCO.

However, it has left residents affected by the designs in limbo, unable to sell their properties and facing compulsory purchases if the application is approved.

The plans may also affect another 15 homes and farms in the area, depending on the designs.

Mark Thurston, chief executive of Anglian Water, previously said: “Securing resilient water infrastructure is vital to unlocking growth, and in our region, which is the fastest growing, the driest and prone to flooding, we need to build infrastructure on a scale never seen before.

“Our two new reservoirs, in the Fens and Lincolnshire, will supply up to 250,000 homes each while also delivering social, economic and environmental benefits for the communities around them.

“In the time that we’ve been developing the reservoir proposals, we’ve seen one of the hottest summers on record and one of the wettest winters, showing how climate change is already impacting the East of England and why we need to secure this investment now to prepare for the future.”