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Hampshire Water - Transfer and Water Recycling Project
What is planned?
NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE OF AN APPLICATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER
BY THE PLANNING INSPECTORATE (ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE) UNDER
SECTION 56 OF THE PLANNING ACT 2008
Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project
Regulations 8 and 9 of the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009
Regulation 16 of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017
Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has accepted an
application by Southern Water Services Limited (“the
Applicant”) (company number 2366670 and registered
office at Southern House, Yeoman Road, Worthing
BN13 3NX) for the Hampshire Water Transfer and Water
Recycling Project Development Consent Order (“the
DCO”) to be made under the Planning Act 2008 (“the
Act”). The application (reference number: WA010002) was
submitted by the Applicant to the Secretary of State via the
Planning Inspectorate on 28 May 2026 and accepted for
examination on 25 June 2026.
Summary of the Application
The Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling
Project (“the Project”) does not fall within the categories
in sections 14 to 30 of the Act and therefore is not a
nationally significant infrastructure project (“NSIP”) in the
prescribed terms of the Act. However, it is to be treated
as development for which a development consent order
is required under the Act, following a direction given by
the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs under section 35(1) of the Act on 31 May 2022 and
subsequently varied on 19 November 2024.
The Project will comprise the construction, operation and
maintenance of the following components:
• Water Recycling Plant (“WRP”) and associated pumping
stations.
• Pipelines between Budds Farm Wastewater Treatment
Works and the WRP site.
• Pipelines between the WRP site and Bedhampton
Springs, connecting to pipelines being delivered by
Portsmouth Water between Bedhampton Springs and
Havant Thicket Reservoir.
• Pipeline between the WRP site and Otterbourne Water
Supply Works.
• Above Ground Plant comprising Intermediate Pumping
Stations and Break Pressure Tanks located along the
Pipeline between the WRP site and Otterbourne Water
Supply Works.
The Project would also comprise the use of the following
infrastructure:
• Havant Thicket Reservoir (which has been consented
separately and is currently under construction by
Portsmouth Water) for the storage of recycled water.
• The existing Eastney Long Sea Outfall, Eastney
Pumping Station and associated Eastney Transfer
Tunnel, for the release of reject water from the WRP
site.
• Pipelines and other related works (which have been
consented separately by Portsmouth Water) for the
transfer of recycled water and source water between
Bedhampton Springs and Havant Thicket Reservoir.
The construction and operation of the Project would be
supported by other temporary and permanent works.
The Project will require the demolition, disassembly and/or
temporary relocation of a number of small structures.
The Project is located within the administrative areas of the
following local authorities:
• East Hampshire District Council
• Eastleigh Borough Council
• Fareham Borough Council
• Hampshire County Council
• Havant Borough Council
• Portsmouth City Council
• Winchester City Council
Plans of the location of the Project are contained in the
Location Plan (Document reference 2.1) and the Works
Plans (Document reference 2.3), both of which can be
viewed on the Planning Inspectorate’s website at the
following link:
https://national-infrastructure-
consenting.
planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/WA010002
The DCO would enable the compulsory acquisition of land,
new rights over land and the imposition of restrictions that
are required to construct, operate and maintain the Project.
In addition, it contains powers for the possession and use
of land on a temporary basis to facilitate the construction
and maintenance of the Project, and powers in respect
of Havant Thicket Reservoir and related infrastructure.
The DCO would also authorise alterations to the layout of
streets, the construction of accesses to the Project, the
temporary closure of public rights of way, street works,
removal of hedgerows, and the application, disapplication
and modification of legislation.
Environmental Impact Assessment Development
The Project is an Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”)
development for the purposes of the Infrastructure Planning
(Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. This
means that the proposed works constitute development
for which EIA is required. The application is therefore
accompanied by an Environmental Statement (“the ES”)
which provides a detailed description of the Project and its
likely significant environmental effects.
Application Form and Accompanying Documents
The application form and all accompanying documents
(including the ES, a Guide to the Application, a draft of the
DCO and an associated Explanatory Memorandum) can be
viewed electronically and downloaded free of charge on
the Planning Inspectorate’s website under the documents
tab until at least the end of the Relevant Representation
period on 24 August 2026:
https://national-infrastructure-
consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/
WA010002
This link will also be available on the Applicant’s website:
.
Copies of the application documents may be requested
by contacting the Applicant on 0800 254 5138 or by email
at
HampshireWTWRP@southernwater.co.uk.
Requests for
documents in an alternative format such as large print or
audio for those with visual impairments or in an alternative
language for those who do not speak English as a first
language will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Requests for printed copies of these documents will be
considered on a case-by-case basis. A charge will apply
to contribute to the printing and postage costs and will
be confirmed on request. The cost of providing copies of
the application documents will be £0.35 per page, up to a
maximum of £10,000.
The application documents are available for electronic
inspection via computer, free of charge, until at least the
end of the Relevant Representation period on 24 August
2026, at the following locations:
Venue and address *
Bishop’s Waltham Library
Free Street, Bishop’s Waltham, Southampton, SO32 1EE
Cosham Library
Spur Road, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 3EB
Eastleigh Library
1st Floor, Swan Centre, Eastleigh, SO50 5SF
Fareham Library
Osborn Road, Fareham, PO16 7EN
Venue and address *
Havant Library
Havant Meridian Centre, Havant, PO9 1UN
Leigh Park Library
50 Park Parade, Leigh Park, Havant, PO9 5AB
Paulsgrove Library
Marsden Road, Portsmouth, PO6 4JB
Waterlooville Library
The Precinct, Waterlooville, PO7 7DT
*We recommend contacting the venues prior to visiting to
confirm opening hours. A library card may be necessary.
Documents may only be available for viewing on a
computer during staffed hours.
Making a Relevant Representation on the
Application
Becoming an Interested Party gives you the right to make
representations about the application to the Planning
Inspectorate. Any person may register as an Interested Party
by submitting a Relevant Representation on the application
during the representation period, which must be made
directly to the Planning Inspectorate. Any representations
(giving notice of any interest in, or objection to, the
application) must be made on the Planning Inspectorate’s
Registration and Relevant Representation Form. The
Registration and Relevant Representation Form can be
accessed and completed online on the Hampshire Water
Transfer and Water Recycling Project page of the Planning
Inspectorate’s website:
https://national-infrastructure-
consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/
WA010002
If you require guidance, or other methods to obtain and
complete a hard copy of the Planning Inspectorate’s
Registration and Relevant Representation Form, please
telephone 0303 444 5000. Completed forms should be
sent to the Planning Inspectorate, c/o QUADIENT, 69
Buckingham Avenue, Slough SL1 4PN. The application
reference (WA010002) should be quoted in any
correspondence.
Further guidance on how to register and make a relevant
representation can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s
advice page via the following link:
nationally-significant-infrastructure-projects-how-
to-register-to-have-your-say-and-make-a-relevant-
representation
It should be noted that personal data, such as the
name of persons over 18, will be published alongside a
representation. If you do not wish personal data to be made
publicly available, you should state why when submitting
the representation. If necessary, the Planning Inspectorate
will publish the representations with your name and
personal data redacted. Please note that all representations
submitted will be published on the Planning Inspectorate’s
website and will be subject to their privacy policy, found
online here:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/
planning-inspectorate-privacy-notices/customer-privacy-
notice
Please note that representations must be received by the
Planning Inspectorate by 24 August 2026.
Contacting the Applicant
To find out more about the Project, you can visit the
Applicant’s website at:
You can contact the Applicant directly with questions about
the application documents or the Project more generally by
using the contact information below:
Email:
HampshireWTWRP@southernwater.co.uk
Telephone: 0800 254 5138
Write to: FREEPOST HAMPSHIRE WTWRP CONSULTATION
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