The VolkerStevin team, working on behalf of the Environment Agency, has installed a new central gate at the Leigh Flood Storage Area (FSA) project. This is the second of three new gates to be installed, with the team having installed the South gate late last year.
The Leigh FSA currently reduces the risk of flooding from the River Medway to 1,200 homes and businesses in Tonbridge and Hildenborough, upon completion of the project a further 600 homes and 575 businesses will be better protected. The original gates have been in place for 44 years, the project team are working to replace these gates and raise sections of the embankment in order to increase the capacity of the FSA by approximately 25%.
The FSA works by controlling the flow of the river during periods of peak flow to store water in an upstream storage area. The team are working to increase the capacity of the FSA to hold over seven million cubic metres of flood water.
To prepare for the installation of the new gate, the team removed the pre-existing gate, including all mechanical and electrical systems. The new pivot trunnions were installed and set, and gate arms were lifted into place and attached to the pivots.
The new gate arrived on site and was welded together by the team before being lifted into place by a 300-tonne crane. Once the gate had been secured, follow-on activities were carried out, including lifting and installing the drive unit which will lift the gate up and down using a rope system. All associated control equipment was also installed.
Ian Nunn, flood and coastal risk management operations manager for the Environment Agency, said: “The installation of the new centre gate is a huge achievement and another great step forward in the project to reduce the flood-risk to more than 1,800 homes and 575 non-residential properties in Tonbridge and Hildenborough.
“People can be assured that the flood storage area will remain operational throughout the project, to continue to protect people, homes and businesses.
“Thank you to local residents for their continued patience while the work is ongoing.”
“The successful installation of the second gate marks a major milestone in this vital flood resilience project. It’s a testament to the dedication, precision, and teamwork of everyone involved. “Operations of this scale require extensive planning and seamless collaboration, and I’m incredibly proud of how the team delivered this complex lift safely and efficiently. “With two gates now in place, we’re well on track to complete the final phase and further strengthen flood protection for the Tonbridge and Hildenborough communities.”
Josh Hawkins Project Manager
Ian Nunn, flood and coastal risk management operations manager for the Environment Agency, said: “The installation of the new centre gate is a huge achievement and another great step forward in the project to reduce the flood-risk to more than 1,800 homes and 575 non-residential properties in Tonbridge and Hildenborough.
“People can be assured that the flood storage area will remain operational throughout the project, to continue to protect people, homes and businesses.
“Thank you to local residents for their continued patience while the work is ongoing.”
The team’s main focus now is replacing the north gate.