But since modern gas networks rendered them obsolete in the 1990s, the National Grid has been demolishing or dismantling them and handing the land over to developers.Īround a dozen gasholders across the country are listed, however, and several in London’s King’s Cross have been turned into luxury apartments, with the frames remaining as part of the design. ![]() That means the inner chambers are no longer used and just the iconic wrought iron frames remain. The discovery of gas in the North Sea from the 1960s saw the gas industry in towns across the country go into decline, along with the usefulness of gasholders, with most gas being transported via high pressure pipes. They stored large volumes of gas from nearby gas works, with the iron frame surrounding an inner chamber which would lift depending on how much was being stored. The old Saxon Street Gasworks off Bradford Road (Image: James Speakman/Manchester Evening News) The towering metal structures - loved by many for their eerie grandeur - used to be a staple of the skyline in major UK cities such as Manchester from the Victorian era onwards, providing gas for the densely populated surrounding area. ![]() The second gasholder, immediately behind the Etihad, sits in an area that will become a sports-focused commercial zone under plans to expand the Etihad campus, which include the construction of the £350 million Co-op Live arena due to be completed in December 2023.Ĭouncil bosses have previously described East Manchester's gasholders as ‘key constraints’ to regeneration - and a town hall masterplan for the area, published in 2017, called for "creative solutions" in dealing with them. The site, between Bradford Road and the Ashton Canal, is on land that the council wants to turn into a huge new residential neighbourhood. The work is expected to last about seven months. In 2019, National Grid hinted at the potential for the sites to be turned into housing, by saying they would want to work with local authorities and housing developers and appealing for interested parties to get in touch.Īccording to planning documents submitted to the council earlier this year, work to dismantle the old Saxon Street Gasworks could begin in September. However, both have previously been earmarked for future development. READ MORE: Bosses of huge new arena next to the Etihad issue update ahead of grand opening National Grid claims there are no firm plans for either site once the gasholders have been removed. Plans to bulldoze a second disused gasholder off Alan Turing Way are expected to be submitted to Manchester City Council in the coming months. National Grid, which owns the gasholders, has now been given permission to demolish one of the rusting structures - at the old Saxon Street Gasworks off Bradford Road in Miles Platting. ![]() The giant landmarks surrounding Manchester City's Etihad Stadium are a legacy of the area's industrial heritage.īut while they once played an integral part in securing Manchester's gas supply, advances in technology have rendered them obsolete. They have been part of the city's skyline for decades, but East Manchester's iconic gasholders are set to be torn down.
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