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Walls come tumbling down at former GCHQ sites |
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As a large office block finally comes crashing to the ground at GCHQ'S former Benhall site, buildings are also beginning to tumble across town at the former Oakley site. Dramatic changes are taking place at two former GCHQ sites. To the west of Cheltenham Block 10, the massive office complex that dominated the skyline at the Benhall base, finally came down on Thursday 30 September, after specialised equipment had been nibbling away at it for almost three months. Passers-by have already commented favourably on the change to the landscape, which now affords increased visibility of Hesters Way Park from the A40. A spokesman for Laser, the demolition company at Benhall, said that work had gone very smoothly with remarkably few complaints. Laser is now preparing the ground for development by Wimpey homes and increased car parking at the new GCHQ site, and handover is scheduled for early May 2005. Across town at the former GCHQ Oakley site, demolition workers from Erith have begun the same process. They started stripping buildings a few weeks ago and are already tearing down a small office block running alongside Priors Road. The Oakley demolition should be completed by the end of February 2005, and the site is to be handed over to Wimpey and Sainsbury - for housing and retail developments - by May. Carillion, the company with overall responsibility for the demolition and preparation of both GCHQ sites is acutely aware of the need to minimise disruption to people living in neighbouring roads, and a special help line has been established to field any residents' concerns (tel: 07730 301447.) Wimpey expect to submit detailed plans for housing at both sites to the local council in the next few weeks and these will be on display to the public. Sainsbury are also finalising their plans for submission and public consultation. As for GCHQ, a few hundred staff will continue to occupy the upper part of the Oakley site over the next few years. GCHQ expects to have vacated the site by 2012 and it will then be handed over to Carillion who will engage a contractor to prepare the land for development. A footpath/cycle way is currently under construction to allow easier access to the upper GCHQ site. Local residents will also be able to enjoy this amenity when it opens towards the end of the year. 5 October 2004 |
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