North East Kent Farm Cluster Leads the Way on Water Security
The North East Kent Farm Cluster, facilitated by Jack Scott, has recently secured approval for three Local Water Resource Option (LRO) studies across the cluster. These are among the first LROs in the South East and the very first in Kent. In 2025, only eight LROs were approved nationally, with three located within the North East Kent (NEK) cluster.
Farmers within the NEK cluster operate on highly productive soils, among the best in the UK. Their diverse cropping includes tomatoes, asparagus, blackcurrants, wheat, apples, apricots, and onions. Despite this productivity, the region is relatively dry, with average annual rainfall of around 600mm. Collectively, these farms employ well over 1,000 people and make a significant contribution to the local economy. Ongoing work aims to better quantify this economic impact.
The LRO studies, focused on Whitstable, Margate, and Canterbury highlight that while many farms are already well-equipped with reservoirs, anticipated reductions in abstraction licences will create a future shortfall in water security. Consultants worked closely with farmers to identify viable solutions, including wetland creation, expanded reservoir capacity supported by pipeline infrastructure, boreholes, and aquifer protection measures.
Looking ahead, a new permit structure for abstraction licences will be introduced in 2028, followed by catchment reviews by 2035 to determine licence reductions. Areas deemed to pose greater environmental risk are expected to face the most significant cuts. In North East Kent, reductions of between 20% and 90% are anticipated, despite evidence suggesting that many local water sources are of relatively low environmental sensitivity.
In response to the LRO process, the NEK cluster has established the South East First Water Abstraction Group. This initiative enables abstractors to collaborate more effectively on water resource management and provides a central platform for addressing shared challenges. Through this group, members are also working with the Water for Food initiative to help safeguard water supplies for future food production.
North East Kent Farmers Group