Our emerging design

Overall approach

The distinctive ‘ammonite’ shape of the emerging design could create interest and become an attractive landmark. It’s a deliberately man-made approach, featuring in a landscape that has been shaped and altered by the people living and working here for generations.

The approach is inspired by the area’s ancient history with ammonite fossils – small marine creatures – found in the earth below the site, dating from a time when it was under the North Sea.

Emerging opportunities include places for recreation both on the water and land, with other areas focused on nature to create calm, quiet spaces.

We have considered the potential for connections to the surrounding communities and around the reservoir itself with opportunities for walking, cycling and horse riding. Routes of various lengths, and connections to Chatteris, Doddington and Wimblington, are all included in our emerging design.

The emerging design features a lagoon in the north west of the reservoir where water levels would largely remain consistent.

The use of excavated earth to create new landforms could provide a variety of different experiences for visitors. These could be open areas with long views across the Fenland landscape, places for play and exploring, shaded, sheltered areas, and places where people, nature and water all come together.

We’ve included a variety of habitat ideas to encourage wildlife at this stage, with different wetland types both inside the reservoir and surrounding it.

Large-scale wetlands next to the Forty Foot Drain are under consideration, with a view to potentially encouraging links along the watercourses for wildlife between the reservoir and existing sites including the Ouse Washes and Nene Washes, and the Great Fen project area.