Agenda item

To consider a report on Fens and Lincs Reservoirs.

Executive Councillor: T Sanderson

The Cabinet has

(a)  authorised the Chief Planning Officer, in consultation with the Executive Leader and Executive Councillor for Economy, Regeneration and Housing, to prepare and submit formal comments on the current second non statutory consultation on the Fens and Lincs reservoirs and associated infrastructure proposals; and

(b)  delegated authority to the Chief Planning Officer to take all associated action necessary in the interests of the efficient and timely conduct of the Council’s compliance with the Fens Reservoir and the Lincs Reservoir Development Consent Order (DCO) procedures including but not limited to:

  i.  prepare the Council’s responses to any written questions from Examining Authority during the DCO Examinations and to submit those to the Examining Authority;

  ii.  settle the content of and submit any Written Representations to the Examining Authority;

  iii.  to negotiate, settle and complete any legal agreements relevant to secure the granting of a DCO pursuant to the applications;

  iv.  settling and the submission of the Statement of Common Ground to the Examining Authority;

  v.  the instruction of witnesses and legal advisors throughout the Examination process if required; and

  vi.  the discharge of DCO requirements made under any development consent order granted by Secretary of State.

Due to the reasons as contained within the report and an imminent decision being required, having obtained the agreement of the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance and Growth), an item of business was considered under the Special Urgency Provisions - Section 16 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules, as contained in the Council’s Constitution, in accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Consideration was given to a report by the Chief Planning Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) on the second non-statutory consultation on the Fens and Lincs reservoirs proposals and associated infrastructure challenges involving Anglian Water and Cambridge Water at the pre-application stage of Development Consent Orders.

Members attention was drawn to the second non-statutory consultation that was active but was not essential to respond to but felt appropriate to have the option to respond by way of decision and the statutory consultation was expected mid-2025 for a formal response ahead of the submission of the Development Consent Order for a Nationally Strategic Project (NSP).

The Chief Planning Officer advised the Cabinet of the background to the initial consultation that focussed on the broad locations of where new reservoirs would be required and latterly both the Fens and Lincs proposed locations of the reservoirs will come into the District, whereby consultation had already been undertaken by Anglian Water and Cambridge Water with the parishes directly affected.

The role of the District Council in the NSP would be as a technical consultee, with direct representations being made to the Planning Inspectorate. Members noted that work had not commenced on the Environmental Impact Assessment, but work had focussed on the technical input looking at the routing of infrastructure between the reservoirs and there would be further opportunities to engage.

Councillor L Davenport-Ray referred to the positive impact of Anglian Water
re-investing in infrastructure and suggest viewing projects such as these in the wider context of the impact of climate change, specifically some communities in the District and the rising sea levels and not relying on infrastructure problems to solve the impacts of climate change.

Councillor S Ferguson supported the concerns shared by Councillor Davenport-Ray and the technical issues associated with building such large reservoirs in the Fens should not be underestimated in an area at risk of flooding as a result of climate change.

In noting the timeline for delivery of the Fens reservoir not until 2036 and further opportunities to input into the consultation process, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

(a)  the Chief Planning Officer, in consultation with the Executive Leader and Executive Councillor for Economy, Regeneration and Housing, be authorised to prepare and submit formal comments on the current second non-statutory consultation on the Fens and Lincs reservoirs and associated infrastructure proposals; and

(b)  that the Chief Planning Officer be authorised to take all associated action necessary in the interests of the efficient and timely conduct of the Council’s compliance with the Fens Reservoir and the Lincs Reservoir Development Consent Order (DCO) procedures including but not limited to:

  i.  prepare the Council’s responses to any written questions from Examining Authority during the DCO Examinations and to submit those to the Examining Authority;

  ii.  settle the content of and submit any Written Representations to the Examining Authority;

  iii.  negotiate, settle and complete any legal agreements relevant to secure the granting of a DCO pursuant to the applications;

  iv.  settling and the submission of the Statement of Common Ground to the Examining Authority; and

  v.  the instruction of witnesses and legal advisors throughout the Examination process if required; and f) the discharge of DCO requirements made under any development consent order granted by Secretary of State.