The government has taken over control of planning to fast-track two major reservoir schemes in eastern England.

Environment secretary Steve Reed has seized control of the planning process to speed up delivery of the much-needed sites – the first such intervention since the1990s.

The new reservoir projects in East Anglia and Lincolnshire have been declared ‘nationally significant’, escalating planning from a local level to the secretary of state.

Government says this will now streamline and accelerate the planning process, to shore up water resources for more than three quarters of a million homes in England’s most water-stressed areas. 

The government has made a commitment to fast-track the delivery of nine new reservoirs to improve national water supplies and in turn enable more new homes to be built.

Water minister, Emma Hardy, said: “We are backing the builders not the blockers, intervening in the national interest and slashing red tape to make the planning process faster to unblock nine new reservoirs. 

“This government will secure our water supply for future generations and unlock the building of thousands of homes as part of the Plan for Change.”

David Black, chief executive of Ofwat, said: “We welcome the clear focus the government is placing upon accelerating the delivery of supply and resilience schemes that will meet our future water needs and support economic growth.

“Alongside the £2bnof development funding announced at our 2024 Price Review, this will help us to deliver the largest programme of major water infrastructure projects - including nine new reservoirs - seen in decades.”

No new reservoirs have been delivered since 1992, more than 30 years ago. The government says thousands of much needed homes in Cambridge and North Sussex are currently being blocked due to concerns around water scarcity.

Anglian Water is proposing to build the Lincolnshire Reservoir to the south of Sleaford, aiming to be operational by 2040. It has also partnered with Cambridge Water to propose the Fens Reservoir, located between the towns of Chatteris and March, set to be completed in 2036.

The Lincolnshire Reservoir would provide up to 166 million litres of water per day for up to 500,000 homes – that is the equivalent of more than 664 million cups of tea day. The Fens would supply a much needed 87 million litres to 250,000 homes in the driest region of the UK.

Both projects will now progress to consultation phase, where developers gather views from communities and stakeholders.

Director of strategic asset management at Anglian Water, Sian Thomas, said: “Our vision for the reservoirs goes beyond simply creating a new public water supply. This is a significant investment in England’s water infrastructure and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver lasting benefits for people, place and the environment.

"Not only will the reservoirs be critical in keeping taps running, but they also mean more water can be left in some of the region’s most environmentally sensitive habitats, by reducing the need for abstraction.

“This is a great first step in recognising the scale and importance of these major infrastructure builds but it will require even further innovation and change in regulation to deliver major infrastructure on the scale needed for the UK - for example, developing appropriate infrastructure financing, funding, and procurement models, further reviewing planning reform, and achieving greater regulatory alignment. 

“We have shared these recommendations with Ofwat and welcome the focus of the Task Force for Water and the Cunliffe Commission’s review of the regulatory landscape to go further and faster to improve the nation’s water infrastructure.”

Water companies have committed to bring nine new reservoirs online by 2050, in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Kent, East Sussex and the West Midlands. These reservoirs alone have the potential to provide 670m litres of extra water per day.

The new has also been welcomed by industry. Mark Tindale, strategy director, water at Stantec, said: "This Spring is currently ranking as the dryest on record, and the need to accelerate water resilience has never been more apparent. If we’re going to address long-term housing and economic growth, climate change impacts, and water scarcity issues, the pace of delivery for both housing and water schemes needs to become more aligned.

"From the conversations we’re having with our clients across the public and private sectors, it’s clear there’s a need for greater flexibility, a potential streamlining of the planning process, more common priorities, and regular, meaningful strategic conversations between local authorities, developers, regulators, and water companies – backed by strong direction from government.

"Bringing stakeholders together from different sectors to support lasting resilience across the country should be top of the list for decision-makers influencing the built environment.”

But the ACE Group has said government plans for new reservoirs risk getting stuck in the development stage without effective public-private sector partnership models. 

Whilst welcoming the news to bypass cumbersome planning for the two major reservoirs, it is urging policymakers to provide greater clarity on the investment models and delivery frameworks needed to turn ambition into action. 

Ben Brittain, director of public affairs at ACE Group, said: “Awarding two new reservoir projects in East Anglia and Lincolnshire the status of being ‘nationally significant’ is a vital first step in safeguarding the UK’s long-term water resilience, but without a clear roadmap for public-private collaboration, progress risks stalling at this approval stage.

 “A well-designed PPP framework will unlock not only capital investment, but also opportunities for skills development and the use of unique innovation to speed up delivery, and with the ever-increasing risk of drought in dry summer months, speed and delivery is mission critical.”

Kate Jennings, chief executive of ACE Group, added: “We fully welcome the government’s bold pledge to invest in the UK’s first new reservoirs in a generation. Now we urgently need to see detail on how public-private partnerships will be structured to drive delivery at pace and scale. 

“ACE represents the UK's leading consultancy and engineering firms and stands ready to support this effort by bringing global expertise in infrastructure planning, engineering and programme delivery. Members have a track record of success on major schemes such as Thames Tideway and the Elizabeth Line - offering proven models for risk-sharing, financing, and innovation that can be applied here.

“Engineering design consultancies are uniquely positioned to support early-stage planning and enable the rapid upskilling required across the supply chain. But we need clarity on investment mechanisms, risk allocation, and delivery roles to mobilise industry effectively. 

“ACE and its members look forward to working closely with policymakers, regulators, and water companies to co-create practical delivery plans and ensure this once-in-a-generation opportunity becomes a reality.”