Former Gas Works site purchased by City Council

After 13 years Chelmsford City Council has realised its ambition to acquire the Gas Works site at Wharf Road owned by National Grid.

This site includes the two redundant gasholders and the purchase price covers the cost of National Grid’s experts demolishing them and decontaminating the land so that it can be brought back into use.The acquisition of the Gas Works will enable the City Council to incorporate this site into its redevelopment plans for the City and the recently announced grant from the Housing Infrastructure Fund will assist the Council in bringing the land in this area back into use, so that new homes, including Affordable Housing, can be built.

The Grant, plus the contribution obtained from the developers of the southern end of the peninsula, will fund the construction of a new road bridge across the river behind the Essex Record Office. This will connect with the Baddow Road car park and continue to a new junction with Baddow Road, creating an additional route to both ends of the peninsula and reducing congestion in Navigation Road.

Leader of Chelmsford City Council, Councillor Roy Whitehead, said “This is the end of a tortuous process to bring brown land right in the heart of the City back into use. The public will gain access to the peninsula land that has been closed off for over 100 years and we will regenerate and improve the whole area around our neglected rivers. I am particularly pleased that we have secured funding from Government to assist with our redevelopment plans which will significantly reduce the impact on our Council Tax payers.”

He added “The City’s Museum is presently being improved and the City Council will ensure that parts of the iron gasholder are preserved by our museum staff at Sandford Mill so that Chelmsford’s industrial heritage is not forgotten. I particularly wish to thank our new Chief Executive, Nick Eveleigh, who has responsibility for property matters, for all of his team’s work in what has proved a long, but rewarding purchase.”