£100m flood scheme close to completion

The 300-tonne gate was shipped by barge from The Netherlands and will be driven into place by contractors over the next few days.

It represents a highly significant landmark in the three-year construction programme with the barrier on schedule to be fully operational by spring next year.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “When complete, the £100m Boston scheme will reduce the risk of tidal flooding to more than 14,000 properties in the town.

“The barrier gate delivery marks an important milestone in a project that will see Boston and the surrounding area better protected from tidal flooding well into the next century.

“It will give Boston one of the best standards of defence against tidal flooding outside of London.”

Phil Drury, Chief Executive at Boston Borough Council, was among senior officers from the council who viewed the tidal flood gate on Monday.

He said: “It was a pleasure to see the delivery of the gate, taking the town a step further to improved tidal flooding defence.

“This is a massive, complicated and technical project and I am grateful to the Environment Agency and everyone involved for their huge effort in helping to protect our wonderful town.”

The scheme is now moving into its final stages, and the next part of it will be moving the barrier gate into position.

The Environment Agency spokesperson said: “This is a highly technical process. Steel sheet piles in the construction area have been cut down in preparation for the barrier gate to be driven off the barge and over a temporary installation bridge by remotely controlled vehicles. It’s anticipated that the whole process will take just over three days.

“When the barrier is in place, it will then be connected to the hydraulic rams and control systems before undergoing essential safety and commissioning tests.

“The current navigation channel at the side of the construction works will then need to be closed for the barrier to be effective.

“The final elements of the scheme include installing a more flood resilient gate at the Port of Boston wet-dock entrance, and associated works to tie the project into the Haven Banks Scheme – a separate project that will raise and strengthen the existing flood banks running from the barrier towards The Wash for a distance of 5km.

“Once the barrier is fully operational, Boston town centre would be protected against a tidal surge similar to what was experienced in 2013, when more than 800 properties flooded across 55 streets.”

In a post on the business social media platform Linkedin Michelle Sacks, Deputy Chief Executive at Boston Borough Council, described it as “a brilliant engineering project that benefits everyone in the Borough, directly and indirectly.”

She said it would bring in £1,116 million in direct economic benefit, and said it was a “great project with great outcomes for the benefit of people and businesses in Boston and being delivered on time. Well done everyone involved, great work.”

And Boston Council leader Aaron Spencer said in a tweet: “This is fantastic progress for Boston, seeing Boston Barrier’s primary gate arriving.”