The Government has granted permission for the new Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant.

Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Steven Reed’s ruling announced on Tuesday (April 8) reverses the Planning Inspector’s decision in July 2024 that consent for the project should be withheld.

It means the existing treatment works in the north east of the city can be redeveloped for housing – part of the wider 8,000-home North East Cambridge development which will also have employment space for more than 15,000 jobs.

The development consent order for the new treatment works, which will be built on Green Belt land known as Honey Hill, between Horningsea and Fen Ditton, has been pursued by Anglian Water and Cambridge City Council since funding was provided by the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund in 2019.

The site is itself is part of the proposed Hartree development for more than 5,000 homes. The Government has committed £277 million to the project to build the new works, out of a total cost estimated at £400m.

As well as being operationally net zero carbon, the new works will be energy neutral and the surrounding area has been designed to create new habitats for wildlife and increase biodiversity.

David Barnetson, programme director for Anglian Water, said: “The Government has made clear its priority to drive growth to stimulate the economy.  The decision from the Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP today, to grant development consent for this project, is a significant milestone in facilitating this for Greater Cambridge and moving to the next phase of activity.

“We look forward to progressing the project with our partners, and in line with the requirements set out by the DCO determination. We are committed to continue engaging with key stakeholders and surrounding community during the next phases of work, prior to construction.”

Fiona Bryant, director of major regeneration programmes at Cambridge City Council, said: “The development consent granted by the Secretary of State is very much welcomed and gives us the clarity we need to continue working towards proposals to build an exemplar, sustainable new quarter of the city.

“We have a housing affordability crisis in Cambridge and as a council we are committed to building more new homes, including council homes, to address this.

“Working with Anglian Water our proposals for Hartree in the heart of the new North East Cambridge district, would support our vision for a Cambridge where everyone has a warm, safe, and affordable home,  alongside new green spaces, shops, workplaces, and education, community and leisure facilities, which will serve the north east of the city and surrounding areas.”

“The project team have worked extremely hard over the last two-three years to engage local people of all ages in the Hartree master planning process and to design the development to support community wealth building in North East Cambridge.”

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