Have your say on updated plans for the Grand Union Canal Transfer.
Phase Two Public Consultation for the Grand Union Canal Transfer has now opened. These are proposals for a new scheme to bring water from the Midlands to the Southeast to secure future drinking water supplies, protect the environment, ensure future water availability for canal navigation, and unlock investment in our communities. The consultation will run from Wednesday, 11th February to 11.59pm on Thursday, 2nd April 2026 and anyone is welcome to provide feedback. Details on how you can respond to the consultation can be found below.
Since the first round of consultation which some of you may have been aware of in Autumn 2024, the proposals have been updated and more details regarding the scheme can be shared.
What is the Grand Union Canal Transfer
The scheme is a joint water transfer project between two water companies, Severn Trent and Affinity Water, and the Canal & River Trust (the Trust) charity, who are the owner and navigation authority of the canals in England and Wales.
The proposals start at the existing Minworth Wastewater Recycling Centre (WwRC) near Birmingham, where water is planned to be transferred via a new underground pipeline to Atherstone in Warwickshire. It’ll then begin its journey along the Coventry, Oxford and Grand Union canals, where some additional infrastructure will need to be built and some existing infrastructure will require modification.
The water from Minworth’s WwRC is treated recycled water, which would usually be discharged into the River Tame. Under the scheme, some of this recycled water will be diverted to a new Advanced Water Treatment Plant (AWTP) to bring it to the required quality for transfer through the canal and to ensure the safeguarding of fish and wildlife is maintained.
Once it’s been transferred through the canal network, the water will be piped from the canal, stored and treated again at a proposed new water treatment works near Great Brickhill, southeast of Milton Keynes. It’ll then be transferred via a new underground pipeline as clean drinking water into Affinity Water’s supply network for customers, from an existing covered reservoir near Luton.
How to find out more
An interactive map of the proposed route, along with a full suite of consultation materials for you to find out more about the proposals are available online via the scheme website, www.guctransfer.co.uk.
Hard copies of selected consultation documents will also be made available for iyou to view at document inspection points, all of which can also be found on the scheme website.
A series of in-person consultation and pop-up events are being held at various locations, and one online event, which will provide an opportunity to talk to the team and find out more about the proposals. The full programme of the public information events can be found on the scheme website www.guctransfer.co.uk.
How to take part and have your say
If you want to provide your feedback on the updated proposals you have until 11.59pm on Thursday, 2nd April 2026 to do so.
You can provide your feedback in writing by:
- Online: by completing and submitting a feedback form on our website – https://guctransfer.co.uk/;
- In person: attending a consultation event and completing a paper copy feedback form; · By email: emailing your feedback to contact@guctransfer.co.uk; and
- By Freepost: posting a feedback form or written response to Freepost GRAND UNION CANAL TRANSFER (no stamp required)
Contact the Grand Union Canal Transfer team
If you have any questions regarding the scheme you can contact the team via:
- Email: contact@guctransfer.co.uk
- Write: Freepost GRAND UNION CANAL TRANSFER
- Telephone: 0121 270 5920, Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm (excluding bank holidays)
