Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 210209

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Anglian Water Services Ltd

Anglian Water is supportive of the policy approach which enables onsite delivery of services and
facilities in new communities. This provides flexibility and offers different options and pathways
for delivering key infrastructure that may better align with the pace of development and viability -
depending on the specific circumstances and challenges the new community might present. We
agree that such provision should be determined in consultation with the service providers and,
where necessary, relevant regulators.

Comment

Representation ID: 210210

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Anglian Water Services Ltd

Anglian Water supports the policy section regarding environmental nuisance/pollution and the
agent of change principle. We consider that this provides a robust approach to managing
development proposals for sensitive uses, including residential development, near our water
recycling centres or sewer pumping stations, to ensure such proposals do not put at risk the
operation of our existing infrastructure, and that the Agent of Change Principle will apply.

Comment

Representation ID: 210211

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Anglian Water Services Ltd

Anglian Water is supportive of clause 1.c to ensure new development supports the climate
emergency response. We consider it would be useful to include the term 'operation' as new
buildings using less energy and potable water are a factor of its operation rather than delivery or
maintenance.
a. c. Being designed to be long lasting and low impact in delivery, operation and maintenance
without compromising design quality

Comment

Representation ID: 210212

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Anglian Water Services Ltd

Anglian Water requests that clause 2.i also includes utilities, as it is important that existing
utilities are factored into the layout and design of new development. Our existing
infrastructure is protected by easements and should not be built over or located in private gardens
where access for maintenance and repair could be restricted. The existing sewerage
assets should be sited within highways or public open space. If this is not possible a formal
application to divert Anglian Water’s existing assets may be required

Comment

Representation ID: 210213

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Anglian Water Services Ltd

Development density is a key factor in delivering community scale rainwater reuse schemes. The
report Water reuse in new housing: Understanding the business case published on the EWSC
website identifies the benefits of examining in greater detail the relationship between
development density and the respective cost of community versus on-plot installations, due to the
significance of external pipework costs as a component of the total cost within community
systems. Community scale systems yield cost savings over on-plot reuse above densities of around
60 units/ha - concluding that it is density, not size of development which is the deciding factor.

Comment

Representation ID: 210214

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Anglian Water Services Ltd

Anglian Water welcomes reference to the inclusion of green and blue infrastructure as one of the
key factors to achieving high quality development. Whilst there are separate policies regarding
open space, SuDS and green and blue infrastructure in the draft plan, it is important to emphasise
that these features are critical to achieving successful place-making and climate resilience.
Clause d.iv requires the provision of public art on all major development proposals and paragraph
7.46 states that "all forms of major development are required to make provision for public art".
Anglian Water objects to this policy requirement and would request that this clause should be
more specific to the types of major developments that most appropriately apply to this clause
and exempt essential utilities infrastructure from public art provision unless there are
compelling reasons to justify this.

Comment

Representation ID: 210215

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Anglian Water Services Ltd

Anglian Water notes Policy J/PB seeks to retain existing employment sites and premises, and any
loss would only be permitted where the site is allocated for an alternative use in the Local Plan (or
a Neighbourhood Plan). As previously referenced, one of the current key priorities for Anglian
Water to facilitate sustainable growth is to bring forward a phased scheme to increase the
capacity to treat wastewater at our existing Cambridge WRC site, following the withdrawal of
government funding to relocate the works to the north of the A14 under the CWWTPR DCO.
We recognise that this will have implications for the current North East Cambridge site allocation,
and this will have a bearing on future policy direction in the emerging Local Plan, potentially
including the identification of Strategic Industrial Estates, or other employment opportunities
within the North East Cambridge area defined by Policy J/NE

Comment

Representation ID: 210216

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Anglian Water Services Ltd

CWWTPR
Anglian Water considers that until such time as the opportunity to deliver the CWWTPR expires,
the Local Plan should recognise the CWWTPR project. We request that the policy provides
appropriate safeguarding of the consented relocation site and this is appropriately identified on
the Policies Map.
We would welcome the opportunity to discuss the inclusion of a safeguarding clause with the
Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service.

Comment

Representation ID: 210217

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Anglian Water Services Ltd

Fens Reservoir Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project
As the Councils are aware, the Fens Reservoir is a project of national significance for new water
resources, which will provide water supply to Anglian Water and Cambridge Water customers. The
reservoir will be determined under the Planning Act 2008 as a Development Consent Order.Our Fens Reservoir project will continue to evolve and given its strategic nature, Anglian Water
requests that the preferred route for this associated water infrastructure and the preferred location
of the service reservoir at Madingley are safeguarded from inappropriate development in order that
the delivery of this project of national significance is not compromised.
We would therefore like to request that a specific safeguarding policy relating to the Fens Reservoir
project as it affects South Cambridgeshire is included in the Greater Cambridge Local Plan. The
following wording is suggested:
Proposed Fens Reservoir and Associated Water Infrastructure
Land to the South and West of Madingley, West of Dry Drayton, East of Cambridge Services and
West of Swavesey will be safeguarded for the delivery of associated water infrastructure relating
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to the Fens Reservoir project. This will comprise raw and treated water transfer pipelines and new
abstraction infrastructure, alongside the provision of a new service reservoir.
Development that might prejudice the implementation and subsequent operation of this water
infrastructure within the safeguarded area will be refused. The safeguarded areas for the water
infrastructure are shown on the Adopted Policies Map.

Comment

Representation ID: 210218

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Anglian Water Services Ltd

Anglian Water supports the policy requirements to ensure that infrastructure capacity is available
or can be made available in time to serve the development, including the submission of a phasing
strategy to align with the timing of additional infrastructure investment. We agree that a Utilities
Statement should support this to provide details including foul and surface water drainage and
details of any engagement and agreements made. We encourage developers to undertake early
engagement with Anglian Water including the submission of pre-planning enquiries to establish
sustainable points of connection to our combined, surface water, and foul drainage networks, and
capacity at our WRCs. We provide detailed information on our website on how developers can
apply for these assessments based on those which best suits the development.
Noting the requirements for developers, in submitting accompanying statements to support
development proposals, it should be clear that separate surface water drainage strategies may be
prepared and the Sustainability Statement would also lead to submissions regarding potable water
supply and water efficiency. The local plan could help to clarify how these additional statements
should be incorporated and prepared, as they may in some circumstances become signposts to
other documents on larger schemes, or for smaller/minor developments, become part of the
Planning Statement.