What the reservoir could deliver

Our existing reservoirs not only provide vital water resources for the region, they also provide a range of other benefits. They:

• support a whole host of leisure activities and facilities, such as water sports, cycling and walking
• offer the chance for people to enjoy nature, and make sure wildlife can thrive
• welcome two million people every year

Our vision for this project goes beyond just building a reservoir. We want to create a place where water, people and nature come together. That means creating space for wildlife, such as wetlands, alongside enabling new recreational and educational activities and natural places for people to explore. It also means creating new jobs and providing opportunities for local businesses and tourism.

Delivering our shared ambition

We know that regulators and our local and regional partners also want to make sure the reservoir delivers across a whole range of areas. And our customers and communities have been clear in their feedback so far that the reservoir should deliver local benefits, while being developed in a way that is sensitive to people and place.

Turning ambition into reality is an important responsibility, and we understand the impact and uncertainty that this long-term project creates for local landowners and communities.

That’s why we have set out how we’re going to deliver our shared ambition - the shared ambition of Anglian Water and Cambridge Water, local and central government, stakeholders and customers, to create a lasting, positive legacy for our region.

You can read more about how we plan to achieve this shared ambition here.

Developing a design

We have provided a very early concept design for the reservoir to help stimulate thought and discussion. It shows some of the potential features we hope to include in the reservoir like wildlife areas, recreation and water sports, green infrastructure like cycleways and renewable energy, and others. This will be developed further as the project progresses.

Its design will evolve as we continue to refine our proposals for the project, based on further studies and feedback received from our first phase and future phases.

We plan to include features that local communities would value and use. We would like to identify opportunities to deliver ecological benefits and promote sustainability. And we will find ways to contribute to the health and economy of the area.