UK Plans New Reservoirs Amid Drought Fears Driven by Climate Change

In a bold move, the Government has officially intervened in the planning of two major reservoirs, marking the first such developments in over three decades. Environment Secretary Steve Reed has elevated the East Anglia and Lincolnshire reservoir proposals to the status of “nationally significant” infrastructure projects, transferring planning powers from local authorities to central Government in a bid to accelerate delivery.

With water demand projected to outstrip supply within the next ten to fifteen years, thanks to a toxic mix of climate change, population surges, and ageing infrastructure, the UK faces a looming crisis. If unaddressed, it’s not just taps that will run dry. Housing development, economic growth, and public health could all be negatively impacted. Already, water scarcity is cited as a key factor stalling the construction of new homes in high-demand regions like Cambridge.

The two reservoirs now in focus are ambitious undertakings led by Anglian Water. The first, proposed for Lincolnshire (just south of Sleaford), is set to supply up to 166 million litres of water per day—enough for around 500,000 households. It’s slated for completion by 2040. The second, known as the Fens Reservoir, is a joint venture with Cambridge Water. Nestled between Chatteris and March in Cambridgeshire, it aims to deliver 87 million litres daily, benefiting 250,000 homes in what is officially the driest region in the UK. This project could be operational as early as 2036.

Both developments will now enter a public consultation phase, allowing communities and stakeholders to weigh in. But the message from Westminster is clear: the time for dithering is over.

To ensure smoother progress on future projects, the Government has also committed to legislating automatic “nationally significant' status for all major reservoir plans, effectively bypassing layers of local red tape that have historically hindered infrastructure development.

Zooming out, these two reservoirs are part of a larger national blueprint. Water companies have pledged to deliver nine new reservoirs by 2050, with locations spanning Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Kent, Somerset, East Sussex, and the West Midlands. If realized, this network could provide an additional 670 million litres of water every single day, a transformative boost to the country’s resilience.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said the Government was “intervening in the national interest and slashing red tape to make the planning process faster to unblock nine new reservoirs.”

In the words of one official, this isn’t just about infrastructure. It’s about “future-proofing the nation”, protecting public resources, unlocking stalled housing developments, and ensuring that water scarcity doesn’t become a defining challenge of modern Britain.