Flood-hit village set for £600k drainage upgrade

More than £600,000 is needed to improve a village's flood protection due to its current drainage system being "ineffective", according to council officials.

Officers at Lincolnshire County Council said they want to award a contract to upgrade the drainage in Aslackby, between Sleaford and Bourne, along Temple Road, Kirkby Underwood Road and Aveland Road.

A decision will be made by executive councillors about the plans at the end of September.

Nathan Whitfield, principal design engineer for drainage, told a meeting on Monday: "The existing system will continue to deteriorate, increasing the risk of collapse leading to an increase in flood risk."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, properties in the village have flooded four times in the last 13 years, including in 2024 and 2025.

Officials said that following an investigation, the most likely cause of the flooding was the River Ave breaching its banks.

The proposed improvements of the £605,000 scheme would extend the life of the drainage system and stop the pipes from deteriorating further.

They would also help manage surface water run-off from the A15 by diverting it away from the village preventing the drains from overflowing.

Whitfield added: "The current system is also ineffective and inefficient with regards to removal of runoff from the highway.

"There is also a longer term risk of damage to the carriageway through the creation of voids from escaping water or the softening of the foundation of the road, impacting on its structural capability."

A decision will be made on the plans by executive councillors between 21 and 25 September.

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