The lock is the first stage of a county-wide regeneration scheme

The Fens Waterways Link project at Boston is described as "the most exciting waterways project in the UK for two centuries".

Construction work on the lock starts in February and will take about 10 months to complete.

The Environment Agency said the lock would bring many benefits to the town, including increased tourism.

When the lock is finished the South Forty Foot route, which has not been passable for 40 years, will reopen.

Flood defences

The site currently has broken-down fencing, overgrown grass on the banks of the river and two boarded-up cottages.

Funding for the project has come from Lincolnshire County Council, the Government Office for the East Midlands and the European Regional Development Fund.

The new lock marks the first stage in the Fens Waterways Link - a regeneration scheme covering the whole of Lincolnshire that will eventually connect Lincoln, Peterborough and Ely.

The second phase, which has not yet received funding, will include building a tidal barrier across the Haven to enhance the waterfront in Boston and improve flood defences.

Environment Agency area manager Andy Baxendale said: "The new lock in Boston is the beginning of the most exciting waterway project in the UK for two centuries."

"We've been working hard with our project partners to make the Fens Waterways Link a reality and we're delighted that building work is now beginning."