The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) has confirmed that funding from the Housing Infrastructure Fund will not be made available to support the delivery of Anglian Water’s Waste Water Treatment Plant relocation from the current site on Cowley Road in north east Cambridge.

The decision follows costs of the relocation increasing significantly as a result of rising costs of materials and labour and disruption to global supply chains, an increase that MHCLG said was unaffordable.

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.

The Development Consent Order (DCO) to relocate the Waste Water Treatment Plant was approved by the Government in April 2025, and the Hartree Masterplan planning application was due to be submitted to the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service – the shared planning service for Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District councils – for consideration. 

The relocation of the Waste Water Treatment Plant would have freed up the last major underdeveloped brownfield site in the city. The planned new North East Cambridge district, with Hartree at its heart, would have enabled over 8,500 high quality and sustainable homes to be built, along with two schools, community, cultural, leisure and health facilities, and over 19 hectares of open space.

The Local Authorities will now be exploring with key stakeholders including the Cambridge Growth Company the future role and opportunities within the North East Cambridge area.

Cllr Cameron Holloway, Leader of Cambridge City Council, said: “North East Cambridge has the potential to be a highly sustainable site, providing thousands of much-needed new homes and community infrastructure right by Cambridge North station.

“The council has been working with Anglian Water and Homes England on this project for over seven years, and has made sacrifices to try to get it over the line, including putting £13 million of council additional investment at risk by, for example,  moving the depot used by our operational teams. So, we are very sad that this project will not be going ahead.

“We remain absolutely committed to tackling the housing crisis in and around Cambridge, by providing high-quality, affordable homes, and we appreciate the Government’s ongoing support for  sustainable and inclusive growth in our area.”

David Barnetson, Programme Director, 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. 

 "We will share more information about future plans for Cambridge when we can.”