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PROJECTS
Lutton Leam Sluice Refurbishment
Services
Civil Engineering
Location
Guy’s Head Road, Spalding,
Near PE12 9QL
Partners
Breheny
ACE
Start & Completion
April 2025 – November 2025
Lutton Leam Outfall Sluice plays a central role in the water management of the South Lincolnshire Fens. Originally constructed in 1959, the sluice was refurbished in 2006 and has now undergone a further major upgrade in 2025 to ensure it continues to provide reliable protection and drainage for decades to come.
The 2025 refurbishment project was made possible through the Board’s successful application for Grant in Aid funding, securing approval in February 2024. The £2.6 million scheme qualified for 100% funding, ensuring essential works were delivered without additional burden on local ratepayers.
This partnership approach, led alongside the Environment Agency, highlights the value of working together to protect and strengthen the resilience of both the local community and the wider environment.
Project Overview
The Lutton Leam Outfall Sluice refurbishment focuses on modernising and strengthening a key element of the local drainage network, which also forms part of the Environment Agency’s tidal flood defence system.
The sluice provides effective surface water drainage for around 4,700 hectares of highly productive farmland through over 100 kilometres of Board-maintained catchment watercourses. It also offers vital flood protection for more than 200 businesses and over 2,500 residential properties, while forming an integral part of the Environment Agency’s tidal flood bank. Together, these functions help to prevent large-scale tidal inundation and safeguard local communities, infrastructure and livelihoods.
The refurbishment works included:
- Installation of new sheet piled wing walls on the tidal side to reinforce structural strength.
- Replacement of the upstream roller doors with modern automated penstocks to improve control and reliability.
- Replacement of the downstream cycloidal doors with durable tidal flaps, enhancing long-term performance and integrity.
Benefits
The project will provide long-term benefits, including:
- Reducing flood risks: Strengthening the tidal defence and drainage system reduces the risk of large-scale flooding.
- Protection of farmland: Safeguarding thousands of hectares of Grade 1 agricultural land, vital for national food production.
- Support for communities: Protecting villages, homes, and businesses across the Fens.
- Environmental enhancement: Reliable drainage helps maintain the fenland drainage network and the species that depend on those watercourses.
- Public value: National funding ensures critical works are delivered at no direct cost to local residents.
By refurbishing Lutton Leam Outfall Sluice, the project is securing the future of this vital infrastructure, supporting people, farming and nature across the South Lincolnshire Fens.
A subtitled timeline video showcasing the Lutton Leam Sluice Refurbishment Project
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