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Efforts to develop what might be “Europe’s Silicon Valley” in a area spanning from Cambridge to Oxford have confronted a major problem – an absence of water.
However the go-ahead for a collection of recent reservoirs underneath the £104 billion funding deal for the water sector, accredited by regulator Ofwat final month, might assist ship the housing, labs and amenities that the imaginative and prescient requires.
The Oxford Cambridge Progress Hall is seen as a option to increase the UK’s economic system by constructing on the 2 college cities’ experience in areas equivalent to life sciences and synthetic intelligence – with improved transport hyperlinks by way of the area, housing and amenities.
However the East of England faces vital challenges from rising temperatures, falling rainfall, water shortage and a rising inhabitants, in keeping with a report by Anglian Water in 2023, threatening the essential agriculture and business within the area.
The Setting Company has beforehand objected to new growth round Cambridge, served by Cambridge Water which attracts provides from chalk aquifers, over issues a few lack of water within the area’s surroundings – which incorporates internationally essential chalk streams.
It additionally objected to a brand new Cambridge most cancers analysis hospital over water shortage, though the event has been given the go-ahead and is now being prioritised by the Authorities.
As a part of Rachel Reeves’ progress speech, it has been introduced the EA has lifted objections to growth at Waterbeach and the Beehive centre, after Cambridge Water demonstrated it may deal with the water shortage points.
The Authorities stated the transfer unlocks the supply of 4,500 new properties together with colleges and leisure amenities, in addition to workplace and laboratory area in Cambridge metropolis centre.
A brand new reservoir within the Fens, which developer Anglian Water says will provide 250,000 properties, may also assist ship the 1000’s of properties deliberate for the world over the approaching a long time.
Mark Thurston, chief govt of Anglian Water, stated: “Securing resilient water infrastructure is important to unlocking progress, and in our area, which is the quickest rising, the driest and vulnerable to flooding, we have to construct infrastructure on a scale by no means seen earlier than.
“The Chancellor is getting caught in on what issues, recognising the vital function of the water sector so we are able to ship on the billions of kilos of funding and upgrades deliberate.”
He added the Fens reservoir, together with one other in Lincolnshire, would every provide as much as 250,000 properties “whereas additionally delivering social, financial and environmental advantages for the communities round them”.
We expect it’s vital to the nation’s future that we maximise the potential of Cambridge – however we additionally recognise that to do that will imply investing within the ‘{hardware}’ of the town
Mike Davey, Cambridge Metropolis Council
Cambridge Metropolis Council chief Mike Davey stated leaders throughout the general public, personal and college sectors within the metropolis supported the Authorities’s progress mission, and the Chancellor had “rightly” put a premium on investing in sectors equivalent to AI, genomics, superior manufacturing and life sciences.
However the Authorities must deliver native communities with them, he stated.
He added: “We expect it’s vital to the nation’s future that we maximise the potential of Cambridge – however we additionally recognise that to do that will imply investing within the ‘{hardware}’ of the town.
“Which means extra reasonably priced housing, funding in water and transport infrastructure to maximise progress sustainably for Cambridge, the area and the UK.”
The Authorities stated it was dedicated to tackling water shortage in Cambridge, together with by way of the supply of a water effectivity programme and growth of a water credit scheme, in addition to measures to safe long-term water provides.
In a press release, Cambridge Water stated it was happy the Chancellor is supporting the necessity for the Fens Reservoir, which it stated would assist ship environmental enhancements and assist sustainable progress.
The corporate stated: “We’re dedicated to supporting the sustainable growth of Cambridge by investing in new water provides to offer resilience towards the affect of our growing inhabitants and local weather change.
“The brand new Fens Reservoir, which we’re engaged on in partnership with Anglian Water, will ship round 44 million litres of water a day to our area, supplying 1000’s of properties and companies and this can scale back the pressure on our environmentally delicate water sources together with our chalk streams, a key function of the Cambridgeshire panorama,” it stated.
