Anglian Water joins our 'Global Tech Cities' discussion event in Cambridge this September

Above: Mark Malcolm, courtesy of Anglian Water

Future Cities Forum is delighted that Mark Malcolm, Reservoir Programme Director at Anglian Water, will be contributing to our discussion event at the Cambridge Science Park this autumn.

Mark currently leads Anglian Water’s two multi-billion pound raw water reservoir developments – Fens and Lincolnshire Reservoirs – both of which are in the planning phase and scheduled to commence construction in the early 2030s.

These new ‘first in a generation’ water systems will help address environmental and climate change challenges, alongside the needs of future population growth within the East of England.

The Government has given two proposed new reservoirs, master-planned by LDA Design and Fereday Pollard for Anglian Water and Cambridge Water, ‘nationally significant’ status.

This means decisions on their future will fall to the Secretary of State and a government committed to fast tracking in total nine new reservoirs in support of greater climate resilience, better water management and good growth.

The Lincolnshire and East Anglian reservoirs will help to secure water supply and reduce the amount of water taken from environmentally sensitive rivers and underground aquifers.

LDA Design and Fereday Pollard are currently further developing the masterplans for both schemes responding to initial public and stakeholder feedback.

The reservoirs will each hold around 55 million cubic metres of water and combined will meet the annual water needs of more than 750,000 homes in a water-stressed part of the UK. Both projects are also placemaking challenges. The aim is that they respond well to their settings, maximising the benefits they can deliver for local communities and for nature.

Commenting on the government announcement, LDA Design director and project lead, Simon Railton, said: “This clarification from the Government is useful, signposting a commitment to progressing two vital infrastructure projects. As well as securing water supplies, we want these reservoirs to improve opportunities and quality of life in the area and support the environment.”

The Fens reservoir is set within a distinctive landscape near the market towns of Chatteris and March. Early design thinking drew on ammonite fossils discovered during excavation work, and the plans feature sculpted embankments and new landforms from reused excavated soil. There is potential for new pedestrian, cycling and horse-riding paths, plus visitor facilities.

The second reservoir is located south east of Sleaford on the edge of the Fens. The proposed design is naturalistic, blending in with shallow ridges in the landscape and marking the transition between the limestone uplands to the west and the flat fenlands to the east. It is hoped this will be a rich and immersive environment with wetlands and new habitats and space for water-based recreation.