River Cam supporters urge rethink by partners of Anglian Water during protest in Cambridge

Friends of the Cam protested outside a Cambridge hotel during a hearing involving Anglian Water.

The water campaigners have demanded Cambridge city councillors “do due diligence” on whether to work in partnership with the water company, given its debt level and record of polluting the River Cam.

A spokesperson for the environmental group said Anglian Water was “an unsuitable company to be handed £227m of public funds”, in reference to money allocated for the move of the sewage works from north Cambridge to Honey Hill make way for the development of 8,000 homes.

Friends of the Cam founding member Tony Booth said: “Despite large fines, Anglian Water continues to pollute the river systems across East Anglia, releasing raw sewage into rivers and seas. Earlier this month human sewage was bubbling out of a drain cover for days by the River Gaywood, near King's Lynn, despite repeated requests for action. The company has a debt of £6.6bn.

“Yet despite indications of company failings, it is being treated as a desirable partner by the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership, which has Anglian Water as a main sponsor.

“Shamefully, Cambridge City Council is supporting Anglian Water in the move of its sewage works because it too would benefit from land sales in North East Cambridge if the sewage works is shifted into the green belt at Horningsea.”

He said the University of Cambridge and the city council should “recognise that it is unacceptable to partner a company wreaking such destruction on our environment” while the Planning Inspectorate should acknowledge “it is an unsuitable company to be handed £227m of public funds”.

A spokesperson for the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership said: “It is clear the UK water system is not currently fit for purpose and is having significant damaging environmental impacts. Anglian Water, alongside other UK water companies, clearly recognises it has not done enough to protect and restore our waterways and has publicly committed to doing more, including advancing much greater investment in avoiding sewage spills.

“Obviously, many interested stakeholders, including CISL, will be keen to see Anglian Water live up to those commitments and deliver change. We would not take projects or collaborations on the subject if we don’t believe they are likely to deliver substantive change and would be unlikely to develop any new collaborations with the sector on any other subjects until this issue is showing progress.”

A spokesperson for the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service, a joint service between Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “The councils are working together on an emerging joint Local Plan for Greater Cambridge, for which we have identified a need to plan for over 50,000 new homes (37,200 of which are in current adopted local plans).

“The decision on Anglian Water’s Development Consent Order application to relocate the Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant to Honey Hill will ultimately be made by the Secretary of State for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. If approved, the relocation of Anglian Water’s waste water treatment plant (WWTP) would offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform brownfield land which is located between Cambridge Science Park and a new railway station and is only a 15-minute cycle ride from the city centre.

“A North East Cambridge area action plan is being prepared by the councils for a significant new city district on this wider area that has identified potential for 8,350 homes and 15,000 jobs as well as supporting facilities.

“The heart of the area unlocked by the relocation of the WWTP includes land being brought forward jointly by Cambridge City Council as landowner and Anglian Water for 5,600 homes and over 6,000 new jobs, to be known as Hartree, as part of creating the new city district.

“We are very aware of concerns about wider water shortages in this region, and have been warning since January 2023 that the issue could delay existing plans for housebuilding, let alone future plans. We have written to Government multiple times in recent months, to reiterate how vital it is that we receive their support to address this issue, including through a commitment to enhancing new supply options, significantly better management of demand and investment in resilience of our rivers and the local environment.”

The hearing was held to discuss Anglian Water’s Development Consent Order (DCO) for the new Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant, as reported here.

Anglian Water was invited to comment.