Anglian Water Fens and Lincolnshire Reservoirs Early Works Partner (EWP)

AWS is facing unprecedented challenges due to climate change, population growth and environmental constraints. These challenges include more frequent droughts, increased demand for water, and the need to reduce water abstraction from environmentally sensitive areas.

To address these challenges, the Water Resources East regional planning and the Water Resource Management Planning of Anglian Water and Cambridge Water have selected the Fens Reservoirs (FR) and Lincolnshire reservoir (LR) schemes as low-regret Strategic Resource Options (SRO) to improve water security and meet societal and environmental outcomes. The reservoirs will provide safe, resilient supplies of drinking water, as well as environmental, socioeconomic, leisure, and wellbeing benefits for the communities they serve.

FR and LR will be delivered to the benefit of both AWS and Cambridge Water (CWC) customers. The FR and LR and associated assets (abstraction, treatment and transfers) are being progressed through the fast-tracked delivery framework overseen by the Regulators' Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID), and each is proposed to be a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) seeking consent through the Development Consent Order (DCO) regime.

Due to the size and complexity of the programme, Specified Infrastructure Project Regulations (SIPR) is the preferred delivery model for the reservoirs. SIPR was introduced by the UK Government in 2013 as a mechanism for an alternative approach to financing and delivering large and complex water and sewerage infrastructure projects.

Under SIPR, the Secretary of State (SoS) or Ofwat (under delegation from the SoS) may specify an infrastructure project for delivery under a "project licence" by a third party where certain conditions are met. Early Works are the preparatory activities; site investigation works and construction tasks to be completed prior to Development Consent Order (DCO) determination and commencement of Enabling Works and Main Construction Works.

The works will comprise preparatory statutory, technical, and construction activities required to support the obtaining of the necessary consents prior to DCO determination. Anglian Water are considering the following activities as part of the EWP Framework scope where the EWP will act as the Principal Contractor (PC), where it is reasonably practicable.

Principal Contractor Services – Overall site coordination, health and safety management, logistics and contractor management. Duty under CDM.

Site Management & Logistics – Site operations, welfare, security, access management and logistics controls. Site Establishment & Compounds – Establishment and operation of site compounds, welfare facilities and supporting infrastructure.

Constructability & Design Coordination – Construction planning, buildability reviews and coordination with design development activities. Environmental Mitigation – Delivery of environmental mitigation measures required to support the programme.

Ecological Mitigation & Monitoring – Habitat creation, species protection works and ecological monitoring activities. Archaeology, Heritage & Geophysical Investigations – Archaeological investigations, heritage works and geophysical surveys.

Water Surveys – Water level and quality monitoring Topographical & Utility Surveys – Topographical surveys, utility detection, mapping and verification activities. Geotechnical Investigations – Ground investigations, testing and reporting.

Environmental Surveys – Environmental baseline and compliance surveys. Ecological Surveys – Ecological surveys supporting environmental assessment and mitigation requirements.

UXO Investigations – Unexploded ordnance surveys and investigations. Temporary Traffic Management – Temporary traffic management, road closures and associated highway measures.

Site Discharge & Consenting Support – Delivery of drainage and discharge infrastructure and support to consent compliance activities. Temporary Works – Design, management and assurance of temporary works.

Property Management & Dilapidation Surveys – Property-related activities, condition surveys and management of affected assets and interfaces. Demolition Works – Demolition and clearance of existing structures where required to facilitate delivery of Early Works.

Earthworks Trials – A scaled-down embankment constructed to validate ground behaviour, design assumptions, construction methods and specifications before full-scale reservoir embankment delivery. The duration of the Framework is proposed to be an initial 5-year term with a possible extension option.

The contracting authority reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to extend the Framework Agreement on up to three occasions with each extension being for a period of 12 months. Accordingly, the maximum duration will be eight years (5 years + 1 year + year + 1 year).

We anticipate releasing a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) at the beginning of November 2026 with return by the end of November 2026 and launch an ITT January 2027. Anticipated Award Date is May 2027 with Contract Completion quarter 2 of 2032.

The estimated contract value is currently anticipated to be between £60 million and £80 million. This estimate is provided for market engagement purposes only and will be confirmed in the tender notice.