2023-24
A note from Paul Hickey, Managing Director for RAPID
In this forward programme, RAPID sets out the key activities for the year 2023-24.
With the ongoing challenges of population growth, water scarcity and climate change; water resources in England and Wales continue to need development of infrastructure. RAPID has been working alongside stakeholders and partners to develop strategic water supply infrastructure solutions, which will help to address some of these ongoing issues.
Over the last three years, the gated process has been effective in identifying strategic water resource solutions to help meet the water needs of the future. We’ve seen solutions progress through the gates, we’ve had solutions leave the programme, and we’ve seen solutions merge with others in order to make them more effective. We are also continuing to see new strategic water resource solutions being submitted to the programme and we encourage further options to come forward, including those involving third parties.
Another of RAPID’s roles is to act as an enabler to the effective implementation of the Water Resources National Framework in England. The programme of strategic water resource solutions which progress through the gated process should emerge through the regional planning process. RAPID is also developing and using evidence to help shape regional plans, particularly where a national perspective is required, such as national water resources modelling.
RAPID’s third role is developing the regulatory and commercial framework to support the timely delivery of water resources infrastructure. We are asking the water sector to develop water resources in a new way recognising that the current regulatory and commercial arrangements may need to change to support this.
Later this year we will publish our annual progress review, which sets out our performance in 2022-23. This document will review our work against the key aims and activities as set out in the forward programme for that year.
RAPID Forward programme 2023-24