Update on the site of the former Pine End Works, Lydney
Ray Wilson
Dear GSIA Members and Friends,
This posting is primarily for the 29 members and guests who came on the GSIA walk on 23 July 2023 at Lydney Harbour, but the new use for the site may be of general interest to Members.
Those who came on the walk will recall meeting in
the road adjacent to the 14 acre site of the now completely
demolished Pine End Works. The factory was established in 1940
manufacture specialist types of plywood for use in aircraft such
as the De Havilland Mosquito and closed in 2001. A couple of
articles on the works have been circulated to members in recent
years and links to them may be found on our Notes and Queries
web page. [There you will find much of the other material
that has been sent out to the GSIA mailing list].
We ended our visit to Lydney Harbour by walking over the fields to Naas House, a fascinating building which dates, in part perhaps, from the 1660s. While we were admiring the building the owner appeared and told us something of the history of the house. She also expressed her concerns over the plans for the redevelopment of Pine End Works site which included expansion onto the agricultural land between the site and Naas House.
These proposals by the Chaxhill-based Severn and Wye Smokery Ltd include a fish-processing building of 20,600 square metres as well as an 8,000 square metres eel farm. Alongside this, a 188-seat restaurant, café and visitor centre is intended. Three three-bedroom houses, eight one bedroom apartments, four two-bed apartments and 18 shared units of accommodation for seasonal staff are also proposed as well as two large water treatment lagoons.
This morning's Punchline** contains a report that after four years of consultations and planning applications the scheme is likely to get the go-ahead. The housing for workers on site has been particularly controversial as it has been seen by Councillors as setting a precedent which might result in large scale housing developments down there by the river.
The article gives a short overview of the project along with an aerial view of the area (which shows how large the nearby Lydney Harbour Industrial Estate is) and a plan of all the new facilities.
[** Punchline is a free daily newsletter and often includes items which relate to Gloucestershire's industrial heritage. It claims to be the "Gloucestershire's No.1 business to business publication and website"].
Image: The gantry at Pine End Works for unloading logs. Taken by the late Jim Simmons on 16 May 1976.
Ray Wilson