James Wild MP has welcomed new funding of up to £15 million for on-farm reservoirs and planning changes to make it easier to build them, following concerns raised with him by farmers at the Royal Norfolk Show about the need to increase water storage.
At the Royal Norfolk Show early this year, James heard directly from farmers and representatives of the National Farmers Union and Country Land and Business Association about the difficulties of securing reliable water supplies for food production.
With farmers facing increasing pressure from dry conditions, they highlighted the importance of being able to store water when it is available for use during periods of lower water availability. The NFU also raised concerns about the uncertainty around future abstraction licences, while the CLA called for water for food production to be treated as an essential use and for greater support for water security infrastructure.
James took these concerns directly to the Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) pressing ministers on the steps the Government was taking to increase on-farm water storage, have future rounds of water management capital grants, and change planning rules to make it easier for farmers to build agricultural reservoirs.
In response, Defra said the Government encouraged the use of reservoirs to store high winter flows and was working with the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government to clarify planning practice around permitted development rights for on-farm reservoirs.
The Government has now announced a wider £65 million package of measures to help farmers deal with drought and build resilience to future water shortages. This includes up to £15 million specifically for on-farm reservoirs, helping farmers store water and become more resilient to future droughts.
Further action is being taken make reservoirs easier to build, including reducing unnecessary barriers and updating planning guidance.
James Wild MP said:
“Increasing the ability of farmers to store water will help improve resilience in the face of extremely hot weather conditions. After hearing directly from Norfolk farmers, I called for new funding and changes to planning rules so I welcome the changes and grants to make it easier to build reservoirs."
James will continue to press for farmers to have the water security they need to keep producing food and to make their businesses more resilient to future drought.
