Paul Hickey, Managing Director of the RAPID programme, has written to Anglian Water and Cambridge Water rejecting their joint request to delay the Fens Reservoir Gate 3 timing from 31 March 2025 to between August 2026 and October 2026, saying that 30 April 2026 is an appropriate new date for submission.

Image: Fens Reservoir - artist's impression

The water companies, who are joint owners of the Fens Reservoir scheme, wrote to RAPID on 14 March 2025 requesting the change to the gate three submission date.

Paul Hickey writes:

“We have considered the suggestion put forward by solution owners and have decided on an appropriate new date for submission and interim measures to monitor progress…..

“However, we remain of the view that 30 April 2026 balances the need to get cross regulatory confidence that the solution has been developed to a high standard. This means demonstrating that the solution has made good progress to address key risks, issues and actions to progress through planning to the execution phase.”

Given the revised gate three submission timeline, RAPID has also set an interim conditional review point (CRP) of 31 October 2025.

To provide the necessary information for the CRP, RAPID now expects the companies to provide:

• Board assurance of their existing Stage 2 submission or information to explain the need to re-submit Stage 2 and a plan to achieve this by January 2026 (with Board assurance). If the fundamentals of the project have changed the information presented at the CRP should include an update on bill impacts, system operator arrangements, market engagement plan and approach to operations & maintenance.
• Full programme update so RAPID can test the feasibility of achieving the water into supply date. This should incorporate an unmitigated view and mitigations that de-risk delivery.
• Update on progress against actions set at gate two.
• Present progress on the Habitat Regulations Assessment.

RAPID is also asking the solution owners to provide an update of the costs of the project since gate two showing the cost range for the project, key drivers for the changes, key areas of cost uncertainty, and options for mitigating impacts. In addition, they must present an updated forecast of development spend and changes to development activities since the PR24 Final Determination.

Paul Hickey concludes the letters by saying:

“RAPID considers that the dates set above are necessary to maintain momentum for the scheme and to stay on track for the Development Consent Order (DCO) application, which we do not want to see being delayed beyond March 2027. It is also important that your focus in 2026 turns to developing your commercial and delivery arrangements for inclusion in your Stage 3 submission to Ofwat.

“We expect your gate three submission to meet regulators’ expectations and to be a quality and complete submission.”