Removing gas works ‘could bring 100s of jobs’
STEFAN JAJECZNYK
THE long-awaited removal of a defunct gas works could herald future development and bring ‘hundreds’ of jobs to a town, it’s been claimed.
National Grid, the owners of the gas containers on Heys Lane in Great Harwood, have submitted a planning application to Hyndburn council to dismantle their redundant equipment.
While the site cannot be used for housing due to contamination, there is potential for future industrial or retail use.
The announcement, which could see the containers dismantled by early 2020, has been welcomed as the ‘best bit of news’ the town has had for a long time.
Great Harwood councillor Gareth Molineux said he has been concerned about a number of issues relating to the site since he was elected to the council seven years ago.
He said: “There were no plans to do anything with the site - which has been a blight on the area and has been preventing any real transformation nearby.
“Finally, after seven years, I am really pleased that something that I had started and never thought would happen anytime soon is finally coming to fruition.”
He said there is potential for ‘hundreds’ of jobs to be generated in the area as a result of the progress.
Coun Molineux added: “This is a monumental success. This will allow us to bring huge investment to Great Harwood.
“I am confident this site will be a fantastic employ- ment zone generating hundreds of jobs. This is the best bit of news Great Harwood has had in a long time.”
In their planning application, agents Indigo Planning said: “The gasholders no longer serve an operational purpose in the storage and movement of gas.
“The dismantling works will therefore provide a brownfield site for development within a sustainable location, which can be brought back into beneficial use.
“The site is allocated for employment use. Therefore, the proposed gasholder dismantling is the first stage to clearing the site and releasing it for future redevelopment.”
The demolition works, which are estimated to last around nine months starting in June 2019 - will remove both gas containers and a number of plant rooms and buildings associated with the site.
The proposal forms part of a wider National Grid project to remove unused gas containers - they are no longer needed as gas is now stored within the mains system.