Work has started to dismantle the gas holder in Tayfen Road, Bury St Edmunds, paving the way for new development.

National Grid is clearing the land and is seeking to record people’s memories of the gas works to preserve its heritage.

The dismantling was due to start on Monday and is expected to be complete by April.

Tayfen Road has been the site of the gas works since 1834 and the gas holder dates to 1958.

Sam Rendell, of National Grid, said: “The gas holder at Tayfen Road has been a significant part of Bury St Edmunds, providing the town with gas for decades but improvements in the way we store gas mean that it isn’t needed anymore.

“By clearing the site we hope it can be made useful once more and play a part in future growth and regeneration.

“Despite this, preserving gas heritage is very important to us. We are looking at ways to keep alive the memory of the gasholder and the industrial history it represents.

“We would like to ask people to get in touch with us to share their memories of the gas works and ensure the heritage of Bury St Edmunds gas works lives on.”

Once prepared and ready for dismantling, National Grid will remove the gas holder shell using cutting equipment and carefully lower it to the ground. The metal gas holder shell will then be taken to a facility for recycling.

As well as the gas holder, a small associated building is being dismantled.

The work is part of National Grid’s nationwide programme to regenerate brownfield sites so that they can have a useful future.

Consultation is currently under way on an updated masterplan for the Tayfen Road area, including the gas holder site.

The gas holder played a key role in providing gas to local residents and businesses, but as gas can now be stored within the pipeline network itself, the gas holder in Tayfen Road is no longer needed.

National Grid is looking at ways the history of the site can be celebrated and is inviting people who have been connected with the gas works to contact them with their memories or photos.

Call the Community Relations Team on 0800 840 2750 or email info@communityrelations.co.uk