They have been part of the city's skyline for decades, but East Manchester's iconic gasholders are set to be torn down. The giant landmarks surrounding Manchester City's Etihad Stadium are a legacy of the area's industrial heritage.
But while they once played an integral part in securing Manchester's gas supply, advances in technology have rendered them obsolete. 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.
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 claims there are no firm plans for either site once the gasholders have been removed.
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However, both have previously been earmarked for future development. 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.
According to planning documents submitted to the council earlier this year, work to dismantle the old Saxon Street Gasworks could begin in September. The work is expected to last about seven months.
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 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
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