Cambridge sewage plant move halted after funding withdrawn
The Development Consent Order (DCO) to relocate the Waste Water Treatment Plant was approved by the government in April 2025.The treatment works were being moved to make way for new homes in the north-east of Cambridge.The council said the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) made its decision to withdraw funding from the Housing Infrastructure Fund after costs of the relocation increased "significantly as a result of rising costs of materials and labour and disruption to global supply chains, an increase that MHCLG said was unaffordable".
The council added: "As a result of this decision, Cambridge City Council and Anglian Water's proposals for the new 'Hartree' development on the current site, which would form the heart of a proposed new district in North East Cambridge, will not be able to be delivered."David Barnetson, programme director at Anglian Water, said: "Whilst it's disappointing that the project won't now go ahead, we're committed to supporting Cambridge and the wider area through its rapid projected growth, whilst continuing to protect customers and the environment. "Our teams are reviewing all options to increase capacity to support growth at our existing treatment works in Cambridge."The government has been contacted for comment.
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