The Environmental Agency has decided to keep lock keepers’ cottages
along the banks of the Thames. This example is at Sonning
The Environment Agency has decided it now wishes to maintain the chain of resident lock and weir keepers at each of its 45 lock sites along the River Thames.
The organisation changed its mind after staff, MPs, river users and those who live in the flood plain raised objections to earlier proposals to sell off ten of the lock keepers’ cottages.
It still plans to sell some houses, but these will be properties that are not either on or adjacent to locks and weirs.
‘We are confident that this proposal will address the concerns raised previously, while ensuring that we are able to use the assets we no longer need to raise money which we can reinvest in managing the river,’ said EA regional director Howard Davidson.
He added that no lock and weir staff will be made homeless or redundant as a result of any decision on lock houses and that staff in the five off-site houses due to be sold will be moved into houses at or adjacent to a lock in due course.
The EA says that it currently own 57 lock houses, and that of these, 52 are on or adjacent to lock sites.
For more intheboatshed.net posts relating to the River Thames, click here.
