Upper Thurne project set to expand with Repps pumping station upgrade

The Broads Internal Drainage Board’s Upper Thurne Integrated Drainage Improvement Project is set to expand, with plans being finalised to bring the replacement of Repps Pumping Station into the project’s current programme.

The addition of Repps would see four pumping stations delivered through the current delivery package – Martham, Potter Heigham, Brograve and Repps – extending the programme of investment in vital water management infrastructure across the Upper Thurne catchment.

Subject to final agreement, enabling works at Repps are expected to begin in around three weeks, with the main construction works planned to commence in spring 2027.

The development comes as construction continues to progress at Martham, Potter Heigham and Brograve, where work is now well underway. At Martham and Potter Heigham, sheet piling has been completed and excavation of the new wet wells is finished, with reinforced concrete bases and walls now being constructed. Sheet piling and foundation works are also progressing at Brograve.

The wider Upper Thurne project has already reached a significant milestone this year, with the new pumps at Horsey and St Benet’s pumping stations commissioned, marking the first two completed pumping station upgrades within the programme.

The Upper Thurne Integrated Drainage Improvement Project is a major programme of investment to replace or refurbish pumping stations whose infrastructure has, in many cases, significantly exceeded its original design life. Collectively, the pumping stations within the catchment play a vital role in managing water levels across more than 6,300 hectares of low-lying land, protecting homes, communities, tourism, infrastructure and nationally and internationally important habitats.

The new pumping stations are being designed to provide improved efficiency, greater pumping capacity and enhanced monitoring and control. Fish-friendly pumps and modern telemetry will also support improved water level management and help the catchment adapt to future climate and land-use pressures.

The Broads IDB Chairman, Robin Buxton, said:

“It is really positive to see the Upper Thurne programme continuing to move forward, and the proposed addition of Repps is another important step in strengthening water level management across the catchment.

“We have already seen the successful completion and commissioning of the new pumping stations at Horsey and St Benet’s, while construction is progressing at Martham, Potter Heigham and Brograve. Bringing Repps into the current package will allow us to build on that momentum and continue investing in infrastructure that is so important to local communities, businesses, agriculture and the unique environment of the Broads.

“Subject to the final arrangements being agreed, we expect enabling works at Repps to begin within the next few weeks, with the main construction works planned for spring next year. It is an exciting development for the project and another positive step towards creating a more resilient Upper Thurne catchment for the future.”

The proposed Repps Pumping Station replacement works form part of the wider Upper Thurne Integrated Drainage Improvement Project, which represents a long-term investment in the resilience of the River Thurne catchment.