KGAL Fluid Summer 2025 - Flipbook - Page 5
consulting engineers
Leigh Barrier Upgrade Forges Ahead...
Protecting Communities and Infrastructure
We9re proud to continue our role as engineering consultant for the Environment Agency's Leigh
Expansion and Hildenborough Embankment Scheme (LEHES). This critical ýood defence project on the
River Medway is of considerable importance, safeguarding thousands of homes, businesses, and vital
infrastructure in Hildenborough and Tonbridge from the devastating impacts of ýooding. The works at the
Leigh Flood Storage Area (FSA) are crucial for managing river levels during high ýow, oûering enhanced
protection and peace of mind to the local communities.
The project involves the replacement of the three original radial gates and
their drive mechanisms with three new, upgraded radial gates and modern
Dyneema rope winch systems. This signiücant enhancement will not only
improve operational reliability but also increase the impounding height,
substantially bolstering ýood protection capabilities for the area. KGAL
has been instrumental in designing the new gates and winches, including
Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), and designing an improved moving
platform for better access to winch equipment for inspection and
maintenance, ensuring the long-term eûectiveness of this vital defence.
We9re excited to report signiücant advancements on site as we move
through the construction support phase:
" South Gate Complete:
Following its successful installation (previously reported as starting
Q2 2024 and noted in a GOV.UK announcement in October 2023 when
the ürst gate was lifted in), the South Gate has now been successfully
Site Acceptance Tested (SAT). This is a major milestone for the project,
bringing one of the key protective elements online.
" Centre Gate Progress:
The old Centre Gate has been fully removed and the new Centre Gate has
been installed in the channel, which involved successfully lowering in the
gate leaf and attaching it to the arms. These arms are now successfully
located within the new pivot brackets, which are mounted to the existing
built-in parts in the civils. This marks another signiücant step towards full
operational capability.
" North Gate Next:
The North Gate is scheduled for installation following the Centre Gate,
moving the project closer to overall completion.
We continue to provide dedicated engineering support to JBA and the
Environment Agency. The project remains on track with the overarching goal
of having all three new gates operational to enhance ýood resilience for the
community, with the programme targeting completion before winter 2025.
We look forward to sharing further updates as this important project nears
completion, ultimately delivering a more resilient ýood defence system for
the region.
