A WATERWAY is set to shut for several months to fix a potential flooding problem in Heybridge.

Part of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation will be closing, from Monday January 11, to fix the collapsed Heybridge Chunker.

The oak chunker is more than 200 years old and has collapsed - leaving the whole area in danger of flooding.

A chunker is a wooden channel - or pipe - built to take streams beneath the navigation itself and may be unique to the area.

The work will mean part of the navigation and surrounding footpaths will be closed for about 15 weeks - although footpath diversions are being considered.

David White, project manager for the Environment Agency which is carrying out the work, said: “We are doing this work to reduce the flood risk to Heybridge.

“The chunker is in danger of collapsing [fully]. We have a temporary fix in place but this isn't sufficient long term.

“These works will solve this problem and take away the need for the temporary pumps that are currently on site.”

The old chunker will be dug out and replaced.

It is hoped that it can be preserved for historical display and that environmental improvements - such as bat and bird boxes, wood pile for beetles, improvements for water voles and new trees and plants - will also be made during the work.

The navigation makes up the canal system between the Rivers Chelmer and Blackwater and runs for 22 kilometres from the Springfield Basin in Chelmsford to the sea lock at Heybridge Basin.