LOCAL people will be invited to watch the demolition of the cement works chimney when it is knocked down in a couple of months’ time.
Site owner Tarmac has said it plans to make a public spectacle of the moment the iconic 122m chimney is blown up.
Demolition begun recently at the site and is expected to take six months to complete. The landmark chimney is expected to be knocked down at the end of May; a spokesman indicated that it would likely be in the morning on a weekend.
80 people visited a public Q&A session at The Laverton last Thursday, when Tarmac representatives were on hand to answer questions and give updates on the company’s progress.
One spokesperson said that Tarmac is keen to involve the community in the event, which will change the Westbury landscape forever.
He said that people would be able to watch the demolition from the White Horse and that a local person could even be chosen to press a ceremonial button as the explosives are set off.
The cement works, which closed in 2009, is being dismantled in order for Tarmac, which is paying for the demolition itself, to sell the land. Wiltshire Council gave permission for the work in October last year.
It is intended that Tarmac will retain the working rail depot and the rest of the site will be sold to be used for recycling or waste management – White Horse News has been assured it will not be used for landfill.
