# The Grand Union Canal Transfer

Publisher: CapexCue
Canonical dossier: <https://capexcue.com/projects/rr21-grand-union-pins-v1/>
Dossier reference: release 1 (1a11d74e-8743-42b1-bf51-0a43b3b39262)

Released project intelligence

Oldest supporting observation: 2026-10-01T01:13:15.100464+00:00
Dossier released: 2026-10-16T08:37:12.260248+00:00
Source report dates and capture dates are listed per fact below; neither establishes an event date.

## Project summary

The planned scheme would transfer recycled water from Severn Trent’s supply area to areas of water deficit in Affinity Water’s supply area, using new treatment and pipeline infrastructure alongside existing canals, with storage and further treatment before entry to Affinity Water’s network. The described route is approximately 160 km, from Minworth near Birmingham via Atherstone and the Coventry, Oxford and Grand Union canals to a reservoir near Luton. The project page reports pre-application status and an expected application submission in July 2027. The source was observed on 1 October 2026; these statements do not establish subsequent progress [u0026; source observation date: 1 October 2026].

## Evidence limits and unknowns

- The supplied paragraphs do not establish a tender timetable, budget, appointed EPC or contractor, capacity, or specific supplier packages.
- Current progress after the source observation on 1 October 2026 is not established by this record; the reported July 2027 submission date is an expectation [u0026; source observation date: 1 October 2026].
- Only the supplied project-page paragraphs were reviewed, not the whole page or linked documents. Email-containing and link-only material was excluded, and graphical content was not reviewed [source coverage and limitations; u0001–u0027].

Current purchasing availability: unknown.
Source-dated plans do not establish current progress or available supplier packages.

## Project metadata

Country: United Kingdom
Region: Europe
Physical assets: Drinking Water, Wastewater Treatment
Derived from the exact released evidence; unresolved fields remain unclassified.

## Project category

Water and environment
Derived from the reviewed scope statement; delivery stage remains unclassified.
The Grand Union Canal Transfer project will transfer water from Severn Trent’s supply area to areas of water deficit in Affinity Water’s supply area, via a combination of treatment plants, pipelines and use of the Canal &amp; River Trust’s historic canal network. Recycled water will be treated in a new Advanced Water Treatment Plant before being transferred east via a new pipeline to the north-east of Birmingham and discharged into the Coventry Canal near Atherstone. Thereafter, the existing Coventry, Oxford and Grand Union canals, in addition to their statutory navigation role, will convey the treated recycled water to an abstraction point on the canal network between Milton Keynes and the Chilterns, where water will be stored in a new reservoir and further treated to drinking water quality prior to its entry via a new pipeline into Affinity Water’s distribution system to the west of Luton. The project is linear in nature and extends to approximately 160km.
Source: Planning Inspectorate — https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/WA0210001 | published unknown | observed 2026-10-01T01:13:15.100464+00:00

Project overview
Oldest decisive evidence: 2026-10-01T01:13:15.100464+00:00
Newest evidence: 2026-10-01T01:13:15.100464+00:00
Knowledge reviewed: 2026-10-16T08:37:11.702588+00:00
Publication reviewed: 2026-10-16T08:37:11.702588+00:00

## Name
The Grand Union Canal Transfer
Status: reported
Attribution: Planning Inspectorate
Source: Planning Inspectorate — https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/WA0210001 | published unknown | observed 2026-10-01T01:13:15.100464+00:00

## Scope
The Grand Union Canal Transfer project will transfer water from Severn Trent’s supply area to areas of water deficit in Affinity Water’s supply area, via a combination of treatment plants, pipelines and use of the Canal & River Trust’s historic canal network. Recycled water will be treated in a new Advanced Water Treatment Plant before being transferred east via a new pipeline to the north-east of Birmingham and discharged into the Coventry Canal near Atherstone. Thereafter, the existing Coventry, Oxford and Grand Union canals, in addition to their statutory navigation role, will convey the treated recycled water to an abstraction point on the canal network between Milton Keynes and the Chilterns, where water will be stored in a new reservoir and further treated to drinking water quality prior to its entry via a new pipeline into Affinity Water’s distribution system to the west of Luton. The project is linear in nature and extends to approximately 160km.
Status: planned
Attribution: Planning Inspectorate
Source: Planning Inspectorate — https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/WA0210001 | published unknown | observed 2026-10-01T01:13:15.100464+00:00

## Delivery
This project is at the pre-application stage. The application is expected to be submitted July 2027.
Status: reported
Attribution: Planning Inspectorate
Source: Planning Inspectorate — https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/WA0210001 | published unknown | observed 2026-10-01T01:13:15.100464+00:00

## Location
The project is linear in nature and extends to approximately 160km. From north to south, the project starts at the Minworth Wastewater Recycling Centre north-east of Birmingham. Thereafter water will be transferred eastwards to the Coventry Canal at Atherstone. From the Coventry Canal, the site of the project extends in a south-easterly direction connecting to the Oxford Canal followed by the Grand Union Canal. Water will then be abstracted and treated south of Milton Keynes before being transferred to an existing water supply reservoir near Luton.
Status: reported
Attribution: Planning Inspectorate
Source: Planning Inspectorate — https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/WA0210001 | published unknown | observed 2026-10-01T01:13:15.100464+00:00


## Cite this dossier

CapexCue — The Grand Union Canal Transfer — dossier released 2026-10-16T08:37:12.260248+00:00, release 1 (1a11d74e-8743-42b1-bf51-0a43b3b39262) — https://capexcue.com/projects/rr21-grand-union-pins-v1/.

For current information and later dossier updates, visit <https://capexcue.com/projects/rr21-grand-union-pins-v1/>.
This file records the release identified above; the current dossier may change.