The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) has announced that it has decided to delay the publication of all RAPID gate two submissions.

RAPID - comprised of Ofwat, the Environment Agency and  the Drinking Water Inspectorate - was set up to help facilitate the development and funding of new large-scale strategic water supply solutions by the water companies.

RAPID is also working alongside the five regional water resources planning groups, to ensure timely delivery of new infrastructure - there are currently 18 solutions in the RAPID programme.

Gate two submissions were due for publication on 14 November, as part of the RAPID gate two assessment. The submissions are informed by, and closely linked with, water company water resource management plans (WRMPs) and regional water resources plans.

Writing to all RAPID stakeholders, RAPID Managing Director Paul Hickey said:

“Due to Defra delaying the publication of some of these plans, RAPID has instructed water companies to delay publication of their gate two submissions until appropriate supporting plans are publicly available. This is to avoid the gate two submissions being published before the plans that are informing them.”

RAPID said it will update on publication dates as soon as possible and also notify stakeholders of any necessary changes to dates for stakeholder representations where needed to ensure time is maintained for stakeholders to review and respond appropriately.