The multibillion-pound infrastructure set for the East of England

Both governmental bodies and private enterprises have announced their intentions to invest billions of pounds in major initiatives spanning throughout the Eastern region of England.

They encompass larger airports, a brand-new railway line, and a theme park, along with projects aimed at ensuring continuous power supply and water availability.

But where are some of the largest ones, and what stage have they reached?

Sizewell C

A 3.2 GW nuclear power plant is scheduled to be constructed along the Suffolk coastline adjacent to Sizewell B, which started operations in 1995.

As stated by the energy firm EDF, the Sizewell C facility will generate 7% of the UK’s electricity supply – sufficient for six million households – over a period of 60 years.

Neither EDF nor the government have said how much the plant is likely to cost overall, but the chancellor confirmed £14.2bn of investment into the plant in the 2025 spending review. That brought total taxpayer investment into the project to £17.8bn.

EDF said 10,000 jobs – including 1,500 apprenticeships – would be created during construction. Once operational, it will employ 900 people.

But local communities have
battled the plans
.

The facility ought to begin generating electricity in the early 2030s.

Sizewell C: What is it and where is it planned to be?

East West Rail

The $8 billion East West Rail (EWR) project is being developed in three segments.

Services are expected to commence between Oxford and Milton Keynes, through Bletchley, by the conclusion of 2025.

Work is already under way to upgrade the line between Bletchley and Bedford, which will be the second section.

Lastly, a completely new route is set to be developed between Bedford and Cambridge, potentially featuring new stops at Tempsford and Cambourne.

EWR said it could take one hour and 35 minutes to travel on its route from Oxford to Cambridge, about an hour less than the current
fastest service
.

The chancellor committed £2.5bn to the project in the 2025 spending review and said she did so “to back Milton Keynes’ leading tech sector”. The project is also expected to unlock land for thousands of new homes.

A mandatory consultation is scheduled for 2026, and EWR might submit an application to the government for a development consent order in 2027, which would provide blanket planning approval.

Critics of the scheme have said it would
damage the countryside
between Bedford and Cambridge.
Houses in Bedford
Could also be removed to accommodate new tracks.

Trains could be running along the whole route by the mid-2030s.

What is happening with East West Rail?

Fens Reservoir

This joint £2.2bn project between Anglian Water and Cambridge Water will see a 21 sq-mile (55 sq-km) lake built north of Chatteris in Cambridgeshire.

It could be suppling 87 million litres (19 million gallons) of water a day for up to 250,000 homes by 2036.

Water will be pumped from the River Nene, Great Ouse and the Ouse Washes, or a combination of these.

The water utilities stated that they encountered “increasing difficulties” with regard to water resources. They further noted that the Eastern area is characterized as “flatland,” one of the driest regions in the UK and particularly susceptible to alterations due to climate change.

The Environment Agency has previously objected to large developments near Cambridge because of concerns over a shortage of water. The government set up a Water Scarcity Group to try to tackle the issue and allow the city to continue growing.

The two companies are collaborating on moving water from Grafham Water, a reservoir finished in 1965. Anglian is constructing a 205-mile (330-kilometer) pipeline to transport water from Humberside to Essex.

Both companies said they were supporting customers to use less water and installing smart meters to help identify leaks.

Customers’ bills will rise to
help pay for new infrastructure
.

Is a reservoir the answer to water supply issues?

Solar

Across the East of England, as well as Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, plans are underway for large-scale solar farms that will have an aggregated production capability exceeding 4 gigawatts.

A solar project called Longfield Solar, with a capacity of 400 MW located close to Chelmsford, received approval for development in June 2023.

Sunnica, a 500 MW plant spread across 2,400 acres (970 hectares) spanning the boundary between Suffolk and Cambridgeshire close to the village of Burwell, received approval in July 2024.

The biggest solar initiative listed under the Planning Inspectorate’s roster for Nationally Significant Infrastructure projects in the Eastern region is High Grove Solar in Norfolk. This venture would boast a capability of 720 MW and encompasses an area spanning 4,000 acres (or 1,600 hectares).

Some proposals have prompted
local protests
.

Why large-scale solar farms are increasingly popping up in rural areas?

Airport expansion

Luton and Stansted airports both aim to expand their operations.

In April, the authorities gave permission for the company to construct a second terminal building along with an additional apron. The plan also aims to nearly double the annual passenger count to 32 million by the year 2043.

Stansted announced in June that it was applying to increase its maximum number of annual passengers to 51 million by 2040.

Last October the Essex airport’s owner announced a £1.1bn expansion plan that would see its terminal building improved and expanded by a third.

Work was expected to start in 2025 and could last between two and three years.

Luton claimed their initiative could generate as many as 11,000 additional jobs, whereas Stansted’s plan was projected to yield over 5,000.

Activists opposing Luton’s proposals began
legal action
in an attempt to prevent them, while Hertfordshire County Council
called for a delay
to Stansted’s project.

Luton airport expansion approved by government
Airport could expand to have 51 million passengers

Electricity grid upgrade

Multiple initiatives aim to modernize the power grid in the eastern region.

National Grid is preparing to “strengthen the high-voltage power grid” in the area through a new link connecting substations located in Norwich, Bramford within Suffolk, and Tilbury situated in Essex.

Part of the 114-mile (184 km) path will run beneath the ground, but the majority will feature new towers supporting the cables instead.
disaster for the countryside
as per certain local communities.

The project is designed to help bring power generated by off-shore windfarms ashore.

The National Grid stated they anticipate an additional 15,000 megawatts of power generation within the upcoming ten years for the area; however, they noted that “given its present condition, the high-voltage electrical grid in East Anglia lacks adequate capacity to handle this increased level of generation.”

It is also planning a new connection between Bramford, and Twinstead Tee in Essex. That will see 11 miles (18km) of new overhead wires and about seven miles (11km) of underground cables.

An undersea cable called Sea Link, designed to link Suffolk and Kent, is also in the planning stages, along with LionLink, which aims to connect the UK and the Netherlands through a Dutch offshore wind farm.

How new energy infrastructure could affect East of England

Universal theme park

In April, the government confirmed that Universal Studios owner Comcast planned to transform the former Kempston Hardwick brickworks south of Bedford into a 476-acre (193 hectares) theme park.

These plans would result in the creation of 20,000 jobs during the construction phase and an additional 8,000 upon the opening of the park.

It is thought the park could attract 8.5 million visitors in its first year and boost the economy by £50bn by 2055.

According to Universal’s plans, there will be a 500-room hotel and retail complex on the site.

Two train stations could serve the theme park – one on the Thameslink line at Wixams and another on the Marston Vale Line, which is becoming East West Rail.

A dedicated junction on the A421 could also be built.

The UK will get Europe’s inaugural universal theme park.

Lower Thames Crossing

The construction of the new Lower Thames Crossing will result in the UK’s longest road tunnels being built beneath the river, offering an additional route connecting Essex and Kent.

The Department for Transport said a new crossing was a “priority infrastructure project” in 2011, but the scheme was only approved by the government in March.

The £9bn plan will connect the A2 and M2 in Kent to the A13 in Thurrock and junction 29 of the M25.

It will be 14.3 miles (23km) long, with 2.6 miles (4.2km) of that underground. National Highways said it would “almost double road capacity over the river east of London to reduce congestion”.

Residents in the vicinity have referred to the plans as akin to a
“noose around our neck”
.

Government approves Lower Thames Crossing project

A428 dual carriageway

Constructing an additional 10-mile (16km) divided highway segment of the A428 extending from the Black Cat roundabout along the A1 to Caxton Gibbet in Cambridgeshire will reduce travel time for motorists by as much as 10 minutes per trip.

This was the sole stretch of undivided highway along the route connecting Milton Keynes and Cambridge.

Approximately 25,300 cars travel along this section daily, however, this number is anticipated to increase to around 32,900 by 2040 due to planned residential and commercial developments in the region.

The National Highways began construction of the $1 billion project in December 2023, with an anticipated opening date set for spring 2027.

This is the organization’s most significant project presently under construction.

Grade II-listed cottages were
dismantled
to clear the path for the new connection.