Mott MacDonald and Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd have been appointed to secure planning permission for a water transfer scheme designed to help safeguard England’s water supply.

The proposal will see the Grand Union Canal upgraded to allow up to 115M litres per day of treated wastewater to be transported from the Midlands to the Southeast. Water will then be abstracted from the canal and treated for public water supply in the south east.

The plan was developed by Affinity Water and Severn Trent Water, with support from the Canal & River Trust.

Mott Macdonald and Adams Hendry will work together to deliver the Development Consent Order (DCO), a statutory instrument for the granting of planning permission for major infrastructure projects in the UK.

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This will involve acquiring the necessary planning and environmental consents as well as engaging with stakeholders and statutory bodies.

Commenting on the plans, Sarah Henderson, Mott MacDonald’s UK town planning team leader, said: "We're proud to be working with the water sector across the country to safeguard England’s water future.

"With a relative abundance of water in the north and west of England compared to the south and east, water transfers will form an important part of making England's water supply resilient. Canals provide a good opportunity to make use of existing infrastructure for relatively light economic and environmental impact."

"With Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd, we have created a specialist project team. Affinity Water, Severn Trent Water and the Canal & River Trust will have access to a diverse range of bespoke planning, environmental, stakeholder and land advisory services. Our team has invaluable DCO experience, reinforcing the importance of consenting to successful project delivery. We are looking forward to working collaboratively with Affinity Water, Severn Trent Water and the Canal & River Trust to help deliver this critically important scheme."