Swanscombe Peninsula Kent: I visited and photographed the Swanscombe peninsula within the Nineteen Eighties as part of an intensive challenge alongside the south financial institution of the River Thames east of London, returning often through the years, notably within the 2000s once I documented the constructing of the Channel Tunnel Rail Hyperlink which crosses beneath the river right here.
Again within the Nineteen Eighties there was nonetheless a big cement business right here. However it was right here that Portland Cement grew to become the centre of the UK cement business, with large quarries digging out the chalk, typically 100ft thick right here, leaving large gaps within the panorama. However most of those quarries had been now labored out and the business was quick declining and has now all gone.
On my 2015 put up Swanscombe on My London Diary you possibly can learn extra concerning the business. The Swanscombe cement plant was the l argest within the UK from 1840 till 1930, however was largely derelict once I took photos within the ’80s although it solely lastly closed in 1990. That at neighbouring Northfleet, was solely totally developed in 1970, though cement manufacturing had begun there in 1796. That web site, the final working cement plant within the space, closed in 2008 was cleared and its landmark chimneys demolished in 2009-10.
Chalk had been quarried to inside a couple of toes of the principle A226 London Highway and in some locations on each side of the street, leaving it working on a slender backbone of chalk.
From the street the Pilgrims Highway leads down steeply to Swanscombe marshes, with some industrial developments within the former chalk pits on each side.
Kent Wildlife Belief describe the marshes as “Dwelling to a exceptional mosaic of grasslands, coastal habitats, brownfield options, scrub and wetland” and I actually discovered it a exceptional space each within the Nineteen Eighties and in later visits – the final a 12 months or so in the past. My photos extra replicate an curiosity in industrial archaeology rathe than nature.
In 2012 plans had been introduced to show 216 hectares of this web site right into a theme park, at first with the assist of Paramount Footage who withdrew their assist for Paramount Park in 2017 with the proposed park being renamed London Resort. Paramount are additionally taking London Resort to the Excessive Court docket over a monetary deal after the London Resort was at risk of going bust, though they nonetheless apparently have an curiosity in offering content material primarily based on their block-buster movies.
In 2015 it appeared seemingly that Paramount Park would go forward within the comparatively close to future, prompting me to get on my bike and revisit the realm. Within the put up on My London Diary I give some particulars about my route. I believe the entire web site is privately owned however again then a lot was nonetheless open to the general public to wander round. Since then there have been extra fences and notices proscribing public entry however there may be additionally a brand new part of the England Coast Path opened at the beginning of 2022 by right here.
The English Resort plans are nonetheless in limbo and the planning permission has lapsed, though the corporate nonetheless consider they are going to go forward at a while, others really feel the challenge is useless. Growth of the positioning grew to become extra difficult when it was declared as an SSSI on account of its leaping spiders in 2021, and its monetary prospects are threatened by Common Studios consideration to construct a rival resort within the former brickworks close to Bedford. And its unclear if there can be the cash to go forward.
Dartford Council has withdrawn its assist for the challenge, as has the native MP, however it stays to be seen what angle a brand new authorities will take in direction of the plans. Campiagners in opposition to it, together with the council have known as for it to lose its Nationally Vital Infrastructure Mission standing which might nearly actually be its demise knell.
In fact this doesn’t imply that this exceptional piece of nature is protected from growth, and if London Resort is ended components of the realm are more likely to be developed for housing as prime riverside websites, although hopefully a lot will stay.
Extra at Swanscombe.
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Tags: Blue Circle, brownfield options, cement business, chalk pits, coal jetty, coastal habitats, England Coast Path, grasslands, jetty, leaping spiders, Kent, Kent Wildlife Belief, London Images, man-made panorama, northfleet, NSIP, Paramount Park, Paramount Footage, peter Marshall, Portland cement, pylons, rival resort, River Thames, SSSI, swanscombe, Swanscombe marshes, Swanscombe peninsula, Thames, theme park, Common Studios, wetland
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