Policy paper
Arun IDB Maintenance Programme 2026-2027
Updated 2 September 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/river-arun-internal-drainage-district-idd/arun-idb-maintenance-programme-2026-2027
1. Proposed Channel Maintenance 2026 to 2027
1.1 Amberley Wild Brooks July 2026 to October 2027
From 2026 onwards, the Arun Internal Drainage Board is moving from an annual weed cut of all main carriers within the Amberley Wild Brooks and is moving towards a rotational programme of works to better improve the habitat, biodiversity and condition of the designated features of the SSSi, whilst still maintaining conveyance of water for drainage and water level management purposes.
Works required within the site will be identified in mid-to-late summer by ecologists but it is expected that 3 of the 6 IDB water courses listed below will undergo maintenance activities.
| Parish Council | Watercourse / location | Potential Maintenance activities |
|---|---|---|
| Amberley | M148 Smith’s ditch – IDB (Total Length = 2090m) | Weed cutting, tree and shrub clearance |
| Amberley | M149 Low Brook ditch West – IDB (Total Length = 1270m) | Weed cutting, tree and shrub clearance |
| Amberley | M150 Low Brook ditch – IDB | Weed cutting, tree and shrub clearance |
| Amberley | M151 Pound Piece ditch - IDB | Weed cutting, tree and shrub clearance |
| Amberley | M152 Smooth ditch - IDB | Weed cutting |
| Amberley | M153 Middle Gutter ditch - IDB | Weed cutting |
| Amberley | Wild Brook Stream - EA | Weed cutting, de-silting |
1.2 Outside of the SSSI sites
| Parish Council | Watercourse / location | Potential Maintenance activities |
|---|---|---|
| Arundel | M126 Castle Ditch | Ecological and engineering surveys |
| Arundel | M127 Corporation Ditch | Ecological and engineering surveys |
| Bury | M132 Wide Mead Ditch | Weed cutting, tree and shrub clearance |
| Bury | M133 Timberley Farm Ditch | Weed cutting, tree and shrub clearance |
| Parham | M140 Hardham Priory Ditch | Weed cutting, tree and shrub clearance |
| Parham | M141 Great Brook Stream | Weed cutting, tree and shrub clearance |
2. Proposed Maintenance Programme 2026 to 2027
2.1 Asset maintenance every 6 monthly from 1 April 2026
Asset maintenance activities include; active water level management, annual greasing, operational checks (including strimming, fence repair, gate and lock checks clearance of debris)
| Asset number | Asset type | Location | Maintained by | National Grid reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 271093 | Penstock - control gate | Hoopers / station ditch sluice | Internal drainage board (IDB) | TQ0123605648 |
| 241451 | Penstock - control gate | Offham island sluice | IDB | TQ0356708379 |
| 267176 | Penstock - control gate | Amberley lower sluice | IDB | TQ0217612141 |
| 241498 | Penstock - control gate | Wild Brook (lower) | IDB | TQ0308114152 |
| 271124 | Penstock - control gate | IDB | TQ0445217087 | |
| 188705 | Penstock - control gate | Tortington upper Penstock | IDB | TQ0105805619 |
| 188712 | Penstock - control gate | Spring ditch sluice | IDB | TQ0136606724 |
| 241836 | Penstock - control gate | Mill Stream upper sluice number 2 | IDB | TQ0226607714 |
| 188103 | Penstock - control gate | Peppering sluice | IDB | TQ0327609315 |
| 240474 | Penstock - control gate | Brickyards sluice | IDB | TQ0281607658 |
| 267144 | Penstock - control gate | Danbridge sluice / Brookfield Penstock | IDB | TQ0126905341 |
| 241659 | Penstock - control gate | Crooked ditch sluice | IDB | TQ0098304579 |
| 277696 | Penstock - control gate | Foxes Oven sluice | IDB | TQ0307609063 |
| 275464 | Weir and flap valve | IDB | TQ0230511726 | |
| 271133 | Penstock - control gate | Hardham Priory ditch sluice | IDB | TQ0319516355 |
| 276597 | Penstock - control gate | Spinney sluice | IDB | TQ0455116620 |
| 238191 | Penstock - control gate | Wide Meade ditch sluice | IDB | TQ0195813717 |
| 255858 | Penstock - control gate | Timberley Farm sluice | IDB | TQ0269413868 |
| 220447 | Penstock - control gate x 2 | Northbrook sluice | IDB | TQ0531017502 |
| 315077 | Outfall pipe from IDB pumping station | Houghton pumping station pumped outfall | IDB | TQ0231711701 |
| 241495 | Penstock - control gate | Low Brook sluice | IDB | TQ0258614328 |
| 223650 | Penstock - control gate | IDB | TQ0305713680 | |
| 503980 | Penstock - control gate | Stopham (Ashurst sluice) | IDB | TQ0318018109 |
| 504273 | Penstock - control gate | Amberley Castle sluice | IDB | TQ0186313161 |
| 504291 | Penstock - control gate | Limekiln sluice | IDB | TQ0217611372 |
| 504295 | Penstock - control gate | Ashtree sluice (North Stoke) | IDB | TQ0159010340 |
| 504314 | Penstock - control gate | South Stoke sluice | IDB | TQ0279610153 |
| 504682 | Penstock - control gate | Hospital sluice / Offham island | IDB | TQ0308508501 |
| 504686 | Penstock - control gate | Boundary sluice | IDB | TQ0363908324 |
| 504691 | Penstock - control gate | Dawes sluice | IDB | TQ0262306844 |
| 504694 | Penstock - control gate | Ford Church sluice | IDB | TQ0052003221 |
3. Asset inspections
3.1 Asset structures
| Asset number | Asset type | Location | Maintained by | Asset condition inspection | Public safety risk assessment | National Grid reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 271090 | In Channel stoplogs | Station ditch | Internal drainage board (IDB) | No | Yes | TQ0181406056 |
| 271093 | Penstock - control gate | Hoopers / Station sitch sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0123605648 |
| 241451 | Penstock - control gate | Offham island sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0356708379 |
| 267176 | Penstock - control gate | Amberley lower sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0217612141 |
| 267177 | In Channel stoplogs - boards only | Fletchers sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0178212502 |
| 271127 | In Channel stoplogs | Hardham Mill siphon boards | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0311117729 |
| 241498 | Penstock - control gate | Wild Brook (lower) | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0308114152 |
| 241493 | In Channel stoplogs | Sussex Wildlife Trust Penstock off north side track | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0305214559 |
| 271124 | Penstock - control gate | Hardham Church Farm ditch | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0445217087 |
| 411925 | Screen | Houghton pumping station screen | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0231311710 |
| 242782 | Penstock - control gate | Coldwaltham sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0257315694 |
| 270387 | In Channel stoplogs - boards only | North Stoke sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0249410102 |
| 188705 | Penstock - control gate | Upper Tortorting Penstock | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0105805619 |
| 188708 | In Channel stoplogs - boards only | Upper Tortington ditch | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0113406201 |
| 317401 | Screen | Spring ditch weedscreen | IDB (West Sussex County Council) | No | Yes | TQ0134106929 |
| 270507 | In Channel stoplogs | Spring ditch, Park Bottom | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0122407157 |
| 242226 | In Channel stoplogs - boards only | Climping Church ditch | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0080302735 |
| 275800 | Fixed Weir | Ford Church ditch | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0049103340 |
| 271822 | In Channel stoplogs | Northbrook ditch | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0544817497 |
| 188709 | In Channel stoplogs - boards only | Eversheds sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0119006331 |
| 188712 | Penstock - control gate | Spring ditch sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0136606724 |
| 443125 | In Channel stoplogs | Castle ditch sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0222006992 |
| 241836 | Penstock - control gate | Mill Stream upper sluice Number 2 | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0226607714 |
| 277330 | In Channel stoplogs - boards only | Swanbourne Lodge ditch outfall | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0245308338 |
| 188103 | Penstock - control gate | Peppering sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0327609315 |
| 188105 | Penstock - control gate | Alders sluice | IDB | No | No | TQ0316509779 |
| 240474 | Penstock - control gate | Brickyards sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0281607658 |
| 267144 | Penstock - control gate | Danbridge sluice / Brookfield Penstock | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0126905341 |
| 241659 | Penstock - control gate | Crooked ditch sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0098304579 |
| 277696 | Penstock - control gate | Foxes Oven sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0307609063 |
| 275464 | Weir and flap valve | Houghton pump | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0230511726 |
| 188106 | In Channel stoplogs | Horseshoe lower sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0333710057 |
| 267163 | Unflapped outfall | Peppering West outfall | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0273409626 |
| 242763 | In Channel stoplogs - boards only | Brickyards sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0336008168 |
| 444416 | Flapped Outfall | Greatham Bridge ditch outfall | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0290116251 |
| 271133 | Penstock - control gate | Hardham Priory ditch sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0319516355 |
| 239784 | Screen (Greatham pumping station) | Greatham pumping station screen | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0371016503 |
| 239786 | Screen (Greatham pumping station) | Greatham pumping station screen | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0369516499 |
| 276594 | Penstock - control gate | Greatham pumping station sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0371916488 |
| 276597 | Penstock - control gate | Spinney sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0455116620 |
| 238191 | Penstock - control gate | Wide Meade ditch sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0195813717 |
| 255858 | Penstock - control gate | Timberley Farm sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0269413868 |
| 220447 | Penstock - control gate x 2 | Northbrook sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0531017502 |
| 315077 | Outfall pipe from IDB pumping station | Houghton pumping station pumped outfall | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0231711701 |
| 411747 | Screen (Hardham pumping station) | Hardham pumping station screen | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0447816856 |
| 271818 | Penstock - control gate | Wiggonholt sluice | IDB | No | No | TQ0473116278 |
| 188711 | Two service pipes | Tortington upper ditch | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0123906481 |
| 241495 | Penstock - control gate | Low Brook sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0258614328 |
| 238550 | Unflapped outfall | Low Brook ditch | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0272514590 |
| 223646 | Weir and flap valve | Middle gutter by track | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0301113675 |
| 223647 | In Channel stoplogs | Middle gutter downstream of track | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0303713678 |
| 223650 | Penstock - control gate | Middle gutter Penstock | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0305713680 |
| 271127 | In Channel stoplogs | Hardham Trunk syphon | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0311317733 |
| 503980 | Penstock - control gate | Stopham (Ashurst sluice) | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0318018109 |
| 504273 | Penstock - control gate | Amberley Castle sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0186313161 |
| 504291 | Penstock - control gate | Limekiln sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0217611372 |
| 504295 | Penstock - control gate | Ashtree sluice (North Stoke) | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0159010340 |
| 504314 | Penstock - control gate | South Stoke Penstock | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0279610153 |
| 504682 | Penstock - control gate | Hospital sluice / Offham island | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0308508501 |
| 504686 | Penstock - control gate | Dawes upper sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0363908324 |
| 504691 | Penstock - control gate | Dawes sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0262306844 |
| 504694 | Penstock - control gate | Ford Church sluice | IDB | No | Yes | TQ0052003221 |