Roadworks resulting in the closure of the road between Pinchbeck and Surfleet with overrun by a further week, resulting in Burmor Construction being fined £2,000 a day.
Burmor Construction previously said that works would be completed by Sunday, March 22 but the scheme will now not be finished by this date and is expected to continue until around March 29.
Lincolnshire County Council has stating it is not granting any further extensions to Burmor Construction’s current permit.
As a result, the developer will incur financial penalties of £2,000 per day from Monday, March 23 for each day the road remains closed beyond the agreed completion date.
During the planning stages of the development, the county council reviewed and challenged the developer’s initial nine‑week programme, raising concerns regarding limited weekend working and minimal activity allocated for the final week. A revised programme was subsequently agreed which addressed these issues.
Following periods of snow, persistent wet weather, difficult ground conditions and challenges linked to an extensive dewatering system, the council granted an extension, revising the completion date to March 22.
Further delays have since occurred with damage caused to Anglian Water’s sewer, due to a dewatering pipe installed as part of the developer’s works. Anglian Water is currently on site with tankers to maintain sewer operations. The required repair is understood to be complex, and Anglian Water is liaising directly with Burmor Construction regarding the necessary remediation.
Due to the 5.5 metre depth of excavation and its position, it is not currently possible to reopen the road using temporary traffic signals. Works to install the new footway within the closure area are expected to be completed this weekend.
At a site meeting held on Tuesday, March 10 between Lincolnshire County Council, Burmor Construction, councillors and local residents, it was also agreed that Burmor Construction will reinstate verge damage caused on the surrounding side roads, once the project is completed.
Ashley Behan, Traffic Manager at Lincolnshire County Council said: “I am extremely disappointed that road users, residents and local businesses will face yet more disruption as a result of continued delays to this developer led scheme.
“The county council is not permitting any further extensions to Burmor Construction’s permit, yet works are still likely to continue until March 29. The company will be fined £2,000 for every day that the road closure remains in place beyond March 22.
“We were assured that weekend working would form part of the programme, however, we have attended site on numerous weekends and found limited to no activity taking place. My disappointment is further compounded by the lack of timely communication regarding the damage caused to Anglian Water’s sewer – we were left to find this out by reviewing local forums’ social media posts.
“Despite being aware of the issue much earlier, Burmor Construction did not inform the county council until a full week after the incident occurred. This is entirely unacceptable and has contributed directly to further delays and the need for Anglian Water to be on site.
“I have seen firsthand the disruption this is causing to the community, and I apologise for that. I would also like to remind residents and road users that Crossgate Lane, Milestone Lane and Flaxmill Lane remain closed for safety reasons. Local businesses – including Birchgrove Garden Centre – remain open and fully accessible via the signed diversion route.
“While I appreciate that this update is disappointing, I ask all residents and road users to respect the traffic management in place, act responsibly, and treat the workforce on site with courtesy.
“We will continue to hold Burmor Construction to account to ensure works progress as quickly as possible to completion.”
