RAPID clears the White Horse Reservoir to proceed to planning

(by Karma Loveday)

The Regulators Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) has given the green light for the White Horse Reservoir to proceed to planning.

The scheme has cleared RAPID Gate 3, and been allowed £298m to continue work towards Gate 4, which includes applying for a Development Consent Order later this year.

The White Horse Reservoir near Abingdon has a proposed size of 150m cubic metres, providing up to 271m litres of water supply per day for up to 15m customers across the Thames Water, Southern Water and Affinity Water areas. Current plans are for it to be construction ready in 2029 and operational by 2040.

The White Horse Reservoir is currently being assessed under the existing RAPID gated process. Once it has completed RAPID Gate 4 and Ofwat Major Projects stage three, it will transition into the new Major Water Infrastructure Programme at Gate D.

• RAPID has agreed with the approach proposed by the companies involved in the Severn to Thames Transfer (STT) scheme – Severn Trent, United Utilities and Thames Water – to target Gate 3 submission for early in AMP9 (June 2030) if the White Horse Reservoir is denied development consent and the transfer scheme is needed as an alternative option. It also supported the plan for March 2027 to mark a trigger point for transitioning from risk reduction activities to full development depending on need, as this will help ensure readiness and effective delivery should STT be required.

• Ofwat is consulting until 25 June on its draft decision to allow funding for the Cheddar 2 Reservoir and Transfer scheme to progress to a conditional review point in February 2028. A decision will then be made on full progress to Gate C for the Wessex/South West Water scheme. Meanwhile, the two companies have been given draft agreement and funding to progress the Poole Water Recycling and Transfer solution to Gate C.