At the Residents Meeting in February, questions were asked about the works going on behind Regents Place in the Gosport Oil Fuel Depot and how long they will be using the Weevil Lane entrance. We asked the depot's Community Relations team for an update for RCY residents.
With Phase Two of the Gosport Oil Fuel Depot redevelopment well underway, they talked to Adrian Jackson, Chief Executive of the Oil and Pipelines Agency (OPA), to find out the latest project news and updates. We received the following message from him:
“I’m delighted to share an update with you on our latest site activity – it’s been a very busy start to the year as we progress phase two of the redevelopment. We’ve made great strides over the last 12 months, having now demolished and constructed all the new tanks on site. You may also have noticed some changes across the wider site. We have begun work on the new gatehouse and the new admin building is also under construction. This will provide a base for the Operations team to work from once the project is complete. We’ve also pruned the trees around the site, before the bird nesting season.
“The Depot has been designed to fully comply with the very latest Safety and Environmental standards and we’ve been working on the installation of essential pipework across the site, in addition to new buildings, security provision, fuel transfer systems and the necessary road and pedestrian infrastructure to allow safe transit around the site. The better weather and longer daylight hours are very much welcomed, as this will assist in allowing the project team to progress efficiently through the remaining project stages.
“As a result of the essential works at the Forton Road main entrance to the site, we’ve continued to keep the Weevil Lane access open. This entrance will now be in use until Autumn 2021. We continue to monitor any impact this may have to local residents and have taken action where required, such as regular road sweeping, to make sure any disturbance is minimal.
“In the coming months we will be upgrading the lighting and CCTV across the site to align to the current MOD requirements, that will ensure the safety and security of the site at all times.
“Finally, the wildlife on site is thriving and among our regular visitors (which includes a deer we’ve fondly named Brian) we also have Herons and migrating Canada Geese. Protecting and nurturing the local environment throughout the project has been a big priority for the whole team, so it’s been wonderful to see this vibrant activity on site!”
If you ever need to get in contact with a member of the depot’s community relations team, please email: GosportOFD@communitycomms.co.uk or phone 08000 499 734.
