In a joint press release Crest and Bath & North East Somerset Council have announced that work will soon commence to decommission the last remaining gas holder at Bath Riverside, clearing the way for the rest of the Bath Riverside development and other adjoining sites to progress.
Two of the site’s three gas holders have already been taken down, although much of their structures remain in the ground.
The gas holder needs to be decommissioned to remove the current Health and Safety Executive restriction on development occupation and before the land can be decontaminated, and the structure eventually removed. The decommissioning process will be completed in 2013 with demolition and decontaminationthen likely to take at least eighteen months following which the site will then be prepared for redevelopment.
This marks a significant step forward for the regeneration of Bath Riverside as well as enabling other developments to come forward within Bath’s recently formed Enterprise Area which is transforming the western corridor of the River Avon.
Crest, working in Partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council are utilising £4.1m funding from the West of England’s Local Enterprise Partnership to decommission and remove the gas holders. Wales &West Utilities, the owner of the facility will undertake the works on behalf of the Bath Riverside project.
Crest’s Executive Director, Chris Tinker, overseeing the Riverside development said, “This is really positive news for Bath Riverside, and in turn the city as a whole. “
“The development is already transforming this riverside corridor into a vibrant community having creatednearly 300 new homes with a further 1,700 due to be completed by 2025.”
“The last remaining tower needs to be removed to allow us to progress with this important regeneration project which will bring opportunities for local people in the coming years.”
Councillor Paul Crossley (Lib-Dem, Southdown), Leader of Council, said, “The removal of the gasholders is a crucial milestone in the regeneration of this site that will provide thousands of urgently needed homes for local people. This project is a fantastic example of partnership working between the Council and the private sector to revitalise a rundown, brownfield site which previously had little value to anyone. It will now play a huge part in Bath’s future as a major part of city life, including the Bath Enterprise Area.”
Chris Tinker added, “We are delighted that in conjunction with B&NES Council, we have been able to secure the funding required. This will enable the Bath Riverside development to continue to mature into a thriving new urban quarter providing an excellent living environment for residents.”
Chris Clarke, Director of Asset Management for Wales & West, said “Wales & West Utilities are pleased to be able to cooperate with Bath & North East Somerset and Crest Nicholson to remove the planning restrictions imposed by the presence of the gas holder, and we will be replacing the storage by utilising underground pipework to ensure continuity of supply.”
