Works Update

Funding has been secured and contractors appointed to carry out improvement works at Brownshill Staunch Sluice during 2025–27. These works are due to be completed by March 2027.

We have now completed the surveys needed to plan the works and the replacement sluice gates are being prepared and painted for installation.

Programme

• Phase One (March to May 2026): Preparation work, including final gate inspections and preparations, design checks, surveys, and testing of equipment.
• Phase Two (May to March 2026-2027): Main works, replace the existing sluice gates, ropes, and associated equipment, followed by final testing.

What this means for you

• The public footpath over the sluice will need to be temporarily diverted during construction for safety.
• The lock will remain open, but there may be short interruptions while works are carried out.
• Advance notice of any restrictions will be shared.

These improvements will help ensure the sluice continues to operate safely and reliably. Thank you for your patience while the works take place.

Work continues on the St Ives Sluice as our contractors have just completed a thorough survey of both the gates and surrounding structures. This phase included underwater, ground level and aerial surveys and is an important step in determining the extent of the works required on the sluice, in advance of a decision about which solutions may or may not be feasible.

Environment Agency staff and contractors surveying part of the St Ives Sluices - 27 November 2025

Data from the survey is currently being compiled. It will provide a 3D model above and below the waterline which will be assessed with other condition surveys, hydraulic modelling and cost estimates to go into the business case for approval in late Spring 2026.

We have carried out repairs to the St Ives Sluices, bringing 3 gates back into automatic operation. These repairs will not provide long term resilience but should help maintain navigation levels during high flows over the coming winter period.

The remaining four gates continue to be isolated in the closed position to maintain statutory water levels for navigation.

Over the last couple of weeks, our incident response team have been deployed to St Ives Staunch Sluice to carry out temporary repairs due to a fault with one of the operational gates. As the situation stands, three of the seven gates are able to be operated. One of the three gates (gate 6) is operating automatically and, if required, the other two gates (gates 1 and 7) can be operated manually. The remaining four gates (gates 2, 3, 4, and 5) remain isolated in the closed position to maintain statutory water levels for navigation.

While we continue with the moderation project for St Ives sluices, we are currently awaiting the delivery of parts to hopefully bring the two manually operated gates back into automatic operation. These repairs would be temporary and given the condition of the structure, may not last long.

We are currently working hard to identify and develop cost-effective solution for the project. This involves approaching commercial partners for their costs and building a plan which provides the best solution allowed by the budget.

We will keep you informed of progress as the project develops.

Our bid for Capital Reconditioning funding over the next two financial years (2025/6 and 2026/7) has been approved.

This means we can start investigating what solution will recondition the structure so they can continue maintaining navigable river levels along this stretch of the River Great Ouse.

Our case for moderation funding to work on the St Ives Sluice has now been approved.

We can now start developing a cost effective plan that allows us to maintain navigable river levels along this stretch of the River Great Ouse.