Chelmer Waterside Update

March 2022

Welcome

Welcome to the latest edition of the Chelmer Waterside e-bulletin. The bulletin provides you with up-to-date news about the Chelmer Waterside project. During the last few months, we have been continuing to work with Cadent to plan for the relocation of the Gas Pressure Reduction System from the former gas works site. We have also been progressing the detailed design for the new bridge and have identified a contractor to begin some land remediation on the former gas works land.

Land Remediation

Given the former use of some of the land as a gas works it is necessary for some land remediation to take place. Initially this will focus on the removal of some underground non aqueous materials, such as oil and similar materials, in small pockets of land. We have appointed a specialist company to remove these materials. This will take about five months to complete, followed by a six-month monitoring period. Work should start in March of this year.

Access Road and Bridge

Following planning permission being granted for the bridge last June, we have now selected a contractor to prepare the detailed design. This will take place over the next few months, after which the intention is to construct the bridge and access road. We expect this to begin in 2023 and anticipate an approximate build programme of 12 months. 

Relocation of Gas Pressure Reduction System

The planning application for the relocation of the Gas Pressure Reduction System (GPRS) has now been submitted by Cadent (Planning Application Number: 22/00239/FUL). The existing GPRS is located at the western edge of the former gas works site and its relocation to land south of the Hill Road South Allotments will enable more homes to be built. We continue to liaise with the allotment holders and anyone that wishes to comment on the planning application can do so via the City Council’s Planning pages on our website. If planning permission is granted, we anticipate the works beginning in the Summer.

Chelmer Waterside Development Framework

  
We adopted the Chelmer Waterside Development Framework in October last year. This sets out the vision for Waterside and the framework for its future development. Later this year we will select a development partner to work with us to deliver the high-quality sustainable development that is set out in the Framework.

A copy of the Framework, and further information about Chelmer Waterside, is available here.