It’s a new day it’s a new dawn and it’s coming down!
The long awaited dismantling and demolition of our Gasometer here in Oxted has started!
Over the past few years I have photographed this majestic structure, that stands in our town centre, from various viewpoints - it has been part of our landscape for so long now that we have taken it for granted and hardly notice it anymore - that’s until now, with the activity of fluorescent safety clothed workmen and the hustle and bustle associated with any new development.
The Gasometer will be replaced over the next two and a half years by a wonderful development of 111 luxury apartments with landscaped podium gardens and parking on site, the development is due to be completed in the Summer of 2021.
I’ve got my steel toe boots, fluorescent boiler suit and hard hat at the ready together with my cameras to photograph the long process for posterity.
Hold on to your hats and read on to find out more…
The photograph above was taken in 2016 showing our mammoth landmark bathed in a pool of afternoon sunlight.
16 January 2019 - the demolition process begins.
The demolition process is scheduled over the next 5-6 months, during this time I’ll be photographing the progress on site and from further afield too, I want to document our social history and to be a part of something new and exciting as we watch new blood being built into our town by St William.
The first stage of the demolition process is to remove the interior ‘roof’ or ‘moveable cap’ that now sits on the floor of the structure that use to raise when it filled with gas, it will then be deconstructed piece by piece from the top down.
The landscape is going to look empty once it has been taken down, it has been part of our view for so long, come rain, shine or snow!
Follow my monthly blogs during the next two years to see the progress via Facebook and Instagram or sign up to my newsletters via the ‘subscribe to our newsletters’ button on the footer below.
I’ll be back next month with the next instalment.
Thanks
Stella
To read other previous blogs these can be found on the ‘Featured’ blogs below by using the arrows on the right to scroll through the past 30 blogs.
Stage one of the demolition process 18 January 2019.
