Water supplies will be compromised to people in St Neots if Anglian Water does not get the go-ahead to build a new booster station, the supplier has said.

Extra water is needed for the town to meet extra demand from continued growth - including new development such as the 2,800 homes planned for Wintringham Park and the nearby second phase of Loves Farm.

Anglian Water wants to build the booster station at the existing water treatment works at Priory Hill Road and has applied to Huntingdonshire District Council for permission to install the equipment at the site where it already has a booster station.

Much of the station will be underground, although there will be an eight feet high building above ground which will be painted holly green to blend in with the background.

Anglian Water said in its application that the booster station was necessary to help it meet a number of challenges it faced in the future, including sufficient resilience and reliability to meet existing demand for water and the needs of future development.

It said: "This booster station is required in order to meet the demand for water supply arising from the continued housing growth in St Neots.

"This includes development at Wintringham Park (circa 2,800 dwellings) and Loves Farm phase two."

The application added: "If the booster station is not installed, Anglian water's ability to ensure continued water supply to its customers will be compromised."

The booster station will connect into the underground network through a small section of pipework and there will also be a new kiosk above ground.

Anglian Water said there would be no change to the site access from Priory Hill Road and there would be no extra telemetry aerials or lighting.

"Whilst it is acknowledged that the new booster station would have a functional appearance, its design is considered to be appropriate for is location within an existing water treatment works where it will not appear incongruous," it said.

Anglian Water said the proposed booster station would not have any impact on the Sites of Special Scientific Interest at St Neots Common and Little Paxton Pits. It was also unlikely to have any impact on protected species such as the great crested newt.

The scheme would mean the removal of a Scots pine tree, although the water and sewerage supplier intends to plant four small-leaved lime trees as a replacement.

Anglian Water said the nearest houses were 90 metres away and that development would not impact on householders.