Anglian Water has shortlisted three potential site areas for the relocation of its Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant (CWWTP).

Following engagement with local stakeholders, the company will be seeking feedback from the community on its early proposals for the relocation via a virtual ‘village hall' consultation that will begin this week.

Three potential relocation site areas have been identified; two of them are located between the villages of Milton, Impington and Landbeach, with the third between the villages of Fen Ditton, Horningsea and Stow-cum-Quy.

The proposed relocation of the Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant will enable redevelopment of the existing site for new homes, business space and community facilities. Those plans will be outlined in the draft North East Cambridge Area Action Plan, which will be published for consultation by the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service later this summer.

The new works will deliver critical waste water services to residents in and around Cambridge in a modern, carbon-efficient facility.

Both the regional and national importance of the project has been recognised by Homes England, the government's "housing accelerator" which has confirmed Housing Infrastructure Funding (HIF) for the relocation.

In March 2019, up to £227 million of funding was allocated to Anglian Water and Cambridge City Council from HIF for the relocation to support sustainable economic and housing growth in Cambridge.

Relocating the waste water treatment plant plus the land next to it owned by Cambridge City Council will release a large area of brownfield land, making way for more than 5,600 new homes and one million square feet of commercial space (subject to planning).

The sites areas were shortlisted following a detailed site selection study which considered a range of criteria, including the potential impact on local communities. It also considered impacts on the environment such as on protected and sensitive wildlife sites and technical factors, including the complexity and cost of the construction.

Karen Barclay, Head of Cambridge Relocation Programme for Anglian Water, said:

"Since the HIF announcement in March 2019, Anglian Water has been undertaking a detailed site selection study to investigate and assess potential locations for the new plant which will be relocated in an area around half the size of the existing site and which will deploy the latest technology to deliver a carbon-efficient facility.

“ We have been working closely with the local authorities to keep them updated on the findings and the consultation, launching next week, will provide opportunities for the local community to have their say on where the new plant should be relocated and help shape the design as the plans evolve.

"We are keen to hear what people think about our proposals and will be inviting feedback from the community throughout the development of the project. We will be undertaking an open and iterative consultation process to inform the proposals for CWWTPR. This will include three phases of public consultation for the project and will continue until we submit our application to the Planning Inspectorate."

Phase one of the consultation process starts tomorrow and will run for six weeks. Due to Covid-19 restrictions and the need for social distancing, events will take place online including through a virtual exhibition and digital platform.

Printed material will also be available for those not able to access digital material.

Anglian Water will be asking for feedback on all aspects of the potential relocation, including the proposed site areas, the infrastructure connected to it, the short term and temporary impacts of the construction process, and all matters regarding the environment.

Visit www.cwwtpr.com for further information about the project, more details about the virtual village hall exhibition, and how to get in contact with Anglian Water regarding the relocation.