Floods Minister Thérèse Coffey has marked the start of works on the £100 million Boston Barrier flood defence, breaking ground on an Environment Agency scheme that will protect 14,000 homes and businesses from tidal flooding.

Work is already underway to dredge more than 5,000 cubic metres of silt from the Boston Haven to make way for construction. Over the coming months, 2,000 tonnes of steel sheeting will be put in place to strengthen the riverbanks in preparation for the barrier.

Floods Minister Thérèse Coffey said the Government investment would make sure Boston is one of the best protected towns on the east coast and one of the best-protected areas from tidal flooding outside of London.

The Boston Barrier is part of a plan to invest £229 million over the next four years to make sure the risk of flooding to 49,000 homes and businesses in Lincolnshire is significantly reduced.

The scheme will feature a moveable gate across the River Witham together with a new control building to operate the barrier, new flood defence walls on both banks and a replacement gate across the entrance to the existing Port of Boston wet dock. It is expected that works will be complete by the end of 2020.

The barrier’s 25-metre wide hydraulic-powered gate, when not in use, will lay flat on the riverbed out of sight, but will be raised to close off the River Witham when flooding is expected, preventing high tides on the North Sea from raising river levels in the town.

Toby Willison, Executive Director of Operations at the Environment Agency, said the state-of-the-art defence would help protect Boston’s communities and businesses from the kind of flooding the town experienced in December 2013 when more than 800 properties flooded across 55 streets.

Boston has a long history of tidal flooding - flooding also occurred in 1953 and 1978.

Environment Agency starts work on £100m Boston Barrier tidal flood defence construction begins

Floods Minister Thérèse Coffey has marked the start of works on the £100 million Boston Barrier flood defence, breaking ground on an Environment Agency scheme that will protect 14,000 homes and businesses from tidal flooding.

Work is already underway to dredge more than 5,000 cubic metres of silt from the Boston Haven to make way for construction. Over the coming months, 2,000 tonnes of steel sheeting will be put in place to strengthen the riverbanks in preparation for the barrier.

Floods Minister Thérèse Coffey said the Government investment would make sure Boston is one of the best protected towns on the east coast and one of the best-protected areas from tidal flooding outside of London.

The Boston Barrier is part of a plan to invest £229 million over the next four years to make sure the risk of flooding to 49,000 homes and businesses in Lincolnshire is significantly reduced.

The scheme will feature a moveable gate across the River Witham together with a new control building to operate the barrier, new flood defence walls on both banks and a replacement gate across the entrance to the existing Port of Boston wet dock. It is expected that works will be complete by the end of 2020.

The barrier’s 25-metre wide hydraulic-powered gate, when not in use, will lay flat on the riverbed out of sight, but will be raised to close off the River Witham when flooding is expected, preventing high tides on the North Sea from raising river levels in the town.

Toby Willison, Executive Director of Operations at the Environment Agency, said the state-of-the-art defence would help protect Boston’s communities and businesses from the kind of flooding the town experienced in December 2013 when more than 800 properties flooded across 55 streets.

Boston has a long history of tidal flooding - flooding also occurred in 1953 and 1978.