U-turn over sale of lock cottages

The Benge family have lived and worked at Cookham lock for 15 years

The Environment Agency has scrapped plans to sell or let one third of lock-keepers' cottages on the River Thames.

Campaigners, MPs and councillors criticised the plan to sell 10 river lock cottages and let a further 12 to cut costs.

The agency said it had "listened carefully" to people's objections and "flood risk" was key to its decision.

It added that it still planned to sell five relief cottages, which are not on the river, and relocate residents.

The decision has been welcomed by lock keepers and their supporters.

This is fantastic news for everybody who cares about the future of the River Thames Martin Salter MP

Kim Benge, of Save Our Service, is the wife of Adam, a lock keeper at Cookham in Berkshire where they have lived and worked for 15 years.

"I should imagine common sense prevailed," she said.

"There was never a good reason for it.

"We are delighted - it's good news for everyone. It's a low-paid job but that is with the understanding that you've got a house with the job."

The Environment Agency owns 57 properties on or adjacent to the river.

Of those lock houses that were to be sold, one was in Oxford, two in Maidenhead, five in Surrey and two in Buckinghamshire.

In June the agency put its plans on hold for six months following an intervention by the then waterways minister Phil Woolas and cross-party opposition.

'Listened carefully'

Announcing its decision, the agency said it was making a commitment to ensure there are resident lock keepers at each of the 45 locks along the Thames.

Howard Davidson, regional director of the Environment Agency, said: "We have listened carefully to staff, MPs, river users and those who live in the flood plain, who all raised objections to our original proposals announced earlier this year.

Kim Benge, pictured with her husband Adam, said she was delighted

"We have carried out a full review into this and issues such as flood risk and our response to incidents outside normal working hours have been key to our considerations.

"As a result, we have reached the conclusion that keeping a resident lock and weir keeper at each of our 45 sites along the Thames is the sensible way forward."

The agency will sell a further five properties, which are off site, and move the residents "into houses at or adjacent to a lock site in due course".

It guaranteed that no lock and weir staff will be made homeless or redundant.

Oxfordshire County Council had warned the agency's original proposal showed a "cavalier" approach to safety while Reading West MP Martin Salter said the move was a "fundamental mistake".

He hailed the new decision as an "outbreak of common sense".

He added: "This is fantastic news for everybody who cares about the future of the River Thames, but especially for the lock-keepers and their campaigning wives who have been relentless and determined to force a change of heart."