The Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP) involves the replacement of six major tunnel sections along the Haweswater Aqueduct route, totalling approximately 52km. This route was originally completed in the 1950’s, with the current project aiming to ensure continued supply of drinking water. The total construction cost is estimated to be around £3 billion.

This is the first major project in the UK water sector to be delivered using the Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) model. United Utilities have competitively tendered HARP to a third-party Competitively Appointed Provider (CAP). The CAP is responsible for the design, construction, maintenance, and financing of the project.

The aqueduct runs from the Lake District through Lancashire into Greater Manchester, meaning it will affect many of our clients mainly through, but not limited to, our Cumbria and Ribble Valley offices.

The delivery of a project like HARP requires extensive preparation. To date, this preparation has mainly involved dealings between United Utilities and Landowners with regards to planned permanent and temporary land take as part of the scheme.

A consortium known as “Cascade Infrastructure Limited” (CIL) were appointed as contractors in August 2025. CIL are now undertaking surveys including walkover/topographical surveys and more intrusive borehole or trial pit/trench ground investigation works. These are being undertaken to establish ground conditions along the planned route of the project. In the coming months, these surveys and ground investigations will extend onto properties over the tunnel routes that may have not yet been contacted about the HARP project.

Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027, with tunnelling and other main construction works expected to last up to nine years.

At Armitstead Barnett, we have a team of Land Agents who have extensive experience in working with utility schemes and projects of all sizes. A project of HARP’s size will have an extensive impact on many areas in the North West, throughout most of the next decade. While the project will have some positive impact through the secured water supply and the provision of many jobs, it will unfortunately come with some significant negatives. The project will significantly impact landowners located near the various tunnel exit and entry points. In our role as surveyors we have been involved with land owners affected by HARP since it’s conception. We have advised and assisted landowners on the HARP scheme with regards to temporary and permanent land take through land sales, option agreements and negotiating leases. We have also assisted landowners in securing compensation and reinstatement payments following damages and losses due to HARP related works.

If you have any land affected by the scheme, or an alternative utility project within the North West, please do make contact with our team for professional assistance regarding your legal rights, how to mitigate the impacts and deal with associated matters of compensation.