Teston Sluice

We will be carrying out maintenance works at Teston Sluice, located in Teston Country Park to improve the Upper Medway Navigation. These works form part of our investment programme for navigation infrastructure which is well underway on the River Medway. Locks, weirs, and other navigation infrastructure make recreational and commercial boating on the River Medway possible and this work will help to ensure safe navigation along this iconic river for boating communities and many other river users.

The Teston Sluice Replacement project will remove and replace the gate built in 1974 which is deteriorating mechanically and electrically, resulting in a risk of failure to the structure's operation.

This scheme will fulfil our statutory duties to reduce the risk of asset failure, improve public and operational safety and lead to a reduction in operation and maintenance costs.

These works have other benefits to the community too, including the removal of the old gantry and sluice structure and introduction of a fixed crest weir, which will improve the visual appearance of the lock area. Additionally, the landing stages for boaters and canoeists will also be renewed which will result in new, improved, and safer access/egress for those partaking in these water activities. We aim to enhance the natural, historic, and built environment and provide a safe access all year round to the lock site.

The works at Teston provide an opportunity to improve the environment and habitat in the area, such as through the improvement of the eel passage at the site and reduce the project’s carbon footprint, through environmental and landscape measures on land near to the sluice owned by Kent County Council. The preferred option will significantly reduce cash and carbon costs and reduce health and safety risks for members of the public and Environment Agency operational staff. It will also reduce Flood and Coastal Risk Management risks associated with potential structure failure and align the project with the Environment Agency’s ambition to be a net zero carbon organisation by 2030 - The Environment Agency: Reaching net zero by 2030 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

The initial stages of the project include vegetation clearance and setting up the site works. This will be undertaken during May and construction is planned from early summer 2024 and will be completed on site in spring 2025.

We will be posting regular updates throughout the project, however, if you have any queries about this project or our wider project work on the River Medway please contact us via email at [email protected] or on 03708 506 506.