Workers will be at Brede sluice in Rye for another month following repairs to the structure and the collapsed riverbank. The Environment Agency (EA) says the lack of availability of a crane is delaying the removal of the pontoons. Access to Castle Mill Cottages should be available this week but the work to restore the damaged road will take at least another fortnight.
Repairs have been taking place on the sluice for much of the year, the EA describes it as a “failing structure”. The nearby riverbank collapsed in late October after heavy overnight rain, destroying the access road to the cottages.
In an update to Rye News an EA spokesperson said the repairs are nearly complete apart from two pieces of work that will keep them on site for the next few weeks. “Our contractors, Mackley, will be commencing demobilising plant from the river this week. This is being progressed asap but is limited by the availability of a crane to remove the pontoons which will be early December at the latest. As of this week, access to impacted residents will be available, but will require supervision/management by the contractor until the track is finished, which will take at least another fortnight.”
Elsewhere in Rye, the emergency piling works at Strand Quay have finished but repairs continue to secure the quay wall. Work to replace much of the harbourside has been taking place for two years and during this work damage to the piles which secure the walls was discovered.
The repairs continue into early next year said the EA spokesperson. “Further works to replace the boules court and landscape the area are also planned. The contractor is planning to complete all the works by the end of January.”
On the outskirts of town, the EA has confirmed work on the multi million pound Rother Tidal Walls project has finished for the winter. “This was always planned into the project programme due to regulations on winter bird disturbance. In March 2025, the project will resume with work on the embankments.”
The spokesperson was unable to confirm whether the project, which will cost over £35 million pounds, is on schedule.
On the coast the annual shingle replacement works are now taking place. Truck convoys are moving shingle from the breakwater at the mouth of Rye Harbour westward to Pett Level, in an effort to counter coastal drift and erosion.
Image Credits: www.clearairflying.com/ , Juliet Duff , James Stewart .
Some honesty (?) at last from the EA on timescales, residents having been previously told works would be complete and contractors demobilised from site by the 9th November !
We asked the EA on the 31st Oct for better communication and regular updates, it’s disappointing but not surprising that the first update comes via this article !