RAPID publishes gate three guidance for strategic water resource schemes

The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) has published guidance on gate three of its staged process for assessing strategic water resource solutions.

The guidance covers how assessment at gate three will work, and what is expected of solutions.

RAPID said, unlike gates one and two, the third gate will have a less technical focus, to avoid overlap with planning authorities. Instead the regulators will “focus on the breadth and comprehensiveness of activities being undertaken in preparation for planning application submission, activities progress including programme through to their completion, and consideration of specific activities to address particular risks or issues associated with a solution”. The assessment will also consider how the solution is represented in final WRMPs and Regional Plans.

The submissions will be sorted into one of four categories: meets expectation; falls short of meeting expectation in some areas; falls short of meeting expectation in many areas; and unacceptable.

In addition, the guidance covered issues including delivery incentives, expenditure efficiency and timetable.