Updated design for £2.2bn water reservoir in the English Fenlands revealed

A rendered view of the proposed Fens reservoir, which will provide water for a quarter million East of England homes was unveiled on April 25.

The project’s developers, Anglian Water and Cambridge Water, announced in 2022 their plans to build two new reservoirs and tackle projected water shortages in parts of England, which are expected to come within the next decade due to climate change.

One of the two is the Fens reservoir, which will be located close to Chatteris, Doddington and March, and will be capable of withholding up to 55 million m³ of water within an area of about 5 km².

The project is expected to come at a cost of £2.2bn, while Lincolnshire Reservoir, the second such project planned, is expected to cost £2.6bn.

The current design resembles an ammonite and is partly the product of a first consultation round that took place in 2022, while a second round is going to be open for eight weeks, from 30 May to 25 July.

Other than addressing the water shortage, the Fens reservoir aims to become a place of recreation, leisure, and connection for its surrounding areas and communities.

The developers are now looking to inform the public about the project, receive feedback through forthcoming consultation rounds and receive a development consent order in 2026, with construction planned to start within 2029.