Contractor appointed for Upper Thurne pumping station upgrades

The Broads Internal Drainage Board (BIDB) has awarded a £9.5 million contract to BAM Nuttall to deliver three replacement pumping stations as part of the Upper Thurne Flood Risk Management Project.

The contract covers the design and construction of new pumping stations at Martham, Potter Heigham and Brograve. The NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract was signed on 14 April 2026, with works programmed through to September 2028.

The upgrades form part of the wider £48.3 million Upper Thurne Construction Works programme and are funded through the Environment Agency’s Grant in Aid scheme, which is part of a £1.4 billion national flood defence investment programme for 2026/27, supporting more than 600 flood and coastal resilience projects across England.

The existing pumping stations will remain operational during construction and will be decommissioned once the new stations are commissioned and brought into service.

The works will include civil, mechanical and electrical improvements, along with new telemetry and control systems, associated infrastructure and commissioning activities.

The project is intended to support long-term water level management and flood resilience within the Upper Thurne catchment and surrounding Broadland landscape.