AFTER years of standing as local landmarks, two huge gas storage facilities will be demolished in the coming year.

This Summer Northern Gas Networks will begin work to pull down gas storage facilities, some dating back to the 1930s, at two sites in Bradford.

The work is expected to last until Spring 2022.

It is part of a national programme to demolish the huge domed structures, which are no longer used due to improvements in technology.

There are two sites in Bradford that will be demolished as part of the programme - at Canal Road and Birskhall, between Leeds Road and Bowling Back Lane.

The sites are still used by Northern Gas Networks, but the storage structures are no longer needed.

Although the structures are not what people would typically describe as beautiful architecture, they have proved to be landmarks for almost nine decades, and Northern Gas Network is encouraging people to send in memories or old photos of the site to be published on its social media.

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At the Canal Road site there are two gas holders that will be demolished.

They were built in 1938 at Clayton & Sons Ltd and are situated on what was once a larger site with seven holders in total.

A demolition notice has been submitted for the work, which will begin in June and is forecast to complete in February.

At Birkshall the work will involve two below ground units built in the 1950s and and one above ground unit built in 1938.

Work on this site will also begin in June and is forecast to complete April 2022.

After the demolition is complete the underground facilities will be filled.

A spokesman for Northern Gas Networks said: "Because of advances in technology and the enhanced capability of the modern-day gas network, the holders have not been used for a long time, and are costly to maintain.

"A phased programme of removal, both in the North of England and across the UK, has been underway for several years.

"NGN is committed to taking down its gas holders in an environmentally responsible way, by recycling as many materials as possible. Customers living and working nearby have been contacted by NGN, giving them information about the project.

"We recognise the importance these giant structures hold for local communities and we’re keen to preserve memories of the holders, through letters, stories, drawings, diaries and photographs, for publication on our website and social media channels.

People living nearby are being encouraged to share their memories of the holders by emailing gasholdermemories@northerngas.co.uk or by posting at Facebook/northerngasnetworks and @NGNgas on Twitter.