Two new reservoir projects proposed by Anglian Water and Cambridge Water have been awarded nationally significant infrastructure status, with the government stepping in to fast-track the planning process amid growing concern about the impact of water shortages on housing and economic development.

The reservoirs, located near March in Cambridgeshire and south of Sleaford in Lincolnshire, are now set to bypass the local decision-making process and will be determined directly by Steve Read, the environment secretary. The intervention forms part of the government’s broader “plan for change”, which seeks to accelerate the delivery of 150 major infrastructure projects and support the construction of 1.5 million new homes by the end of the current parliament.

According to government figures, the Fens Reservoir is expected to supply around 87 million litres of water per day to 250,000 homes when completed in 2036. The Lincolnshire Reservoir would deliver up to 166 million litres per day for as many as 500,000 homes, with an anticipated completion date of 2040.

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