Cambridge MP pledges solution to city's water supply issues
An inquiry into a new housing development has been taking place
Last updated 19th Jan 2024
Water supply issues in and around Cambridge must be fixed soon if more homes are to be built, the city's MP has said.
It comes after the Environment Agency raised concerns at an inquiry taking place this week over water supply bodies being under more pressure if plans to build 1,000 new homes on the edge of Cambridge take place.
The homes are part of the Darwin Green development, and developers behind the plans believe the issues will be resolved by the time the first homes are built, which could be until 2028.
Meanwhile, dozens of homes on the development are being demolished due to problems with their foundations.
Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner believes there are options to solve the problem:
"There are possibilities of diverting water towards Cambridge away from other destinations, but that needs to be resolved by government to allow future developments to happen in and around the city," he said.
"The difficulty is we have a huge demand for homes in and around Cambridge.
"It's very expensive, almost impossible for young people to buy and increasingly difficult to rent, so we do need extra homes but we are going to have to resolve the water issues."
Government planning next steps to manage water demand
In December last year, Housing Secretary Michael Gove announced that a development corporation will help oversee the building of thousands more homes in Cambridge.
Mr Gove also announced "new steps to help manage demand for water in new developments", with plans on delivering new sources of water supply to come this year.
Previously, South Cambridgeshire MP Anthony Browne opposed expanding Cambridge and was concerned over a water shortage in the area.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has been approached for comment.
"I believe the issues will be resolved"
Mr Zeichner is confident the current water supply issues can be fixed.
"The Environment Agency is doing its job in pointing out these problems, so it's for those people bringing forward the development, talking to the government on how these issues can be resolved and I believe they can and will be," he added.
"There are technical solutions available but they cost large amounts of money."
The government said it's already set out funding to tackle water supply issues and is supporting Ofwat to enable water companies to invest in new, large-scale water supply infrastructure.
A government spokesperson said: “Our ambitious long-term plan for housing will unleash Cambridge’s potential and provide the homes this city needs.
“We recognise the need to address the water constraint issues in Cambridge, and at Autumn Statement we set out a funding commitment to address water scarcity issues of nearly £9 million.
“We are working closely with the Environment Agency, Ofwat and local government to provide sustainable water supplies.”