Brookmans Park Rejected by Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.

[knobtwiddler]

Not sure if this is the right thread to post it, but I just saw this on my SM feed. Feel free to move if not in right place.

[60136 Alcazar]

We seem to be in a world with little respect for those who went before us and provided the 'ground' from which we now achieve things.

[colly0410]

"First twin wave station in the world" it says. Always been fascinated in how one aerial mast can have two or more transmitters feeding it at the same time, I might start a thread on it, unless there is already a thread on it somewhere..

[Vintage Engr]

I have an interesting story about some work that I carried out there in the late 1970's.
It was a great site to visit, steeped in history.

David.

[G6Tanuki]

Listing such redundant bits of infrastructure is a double edge sword. Sure, it can preserve the thing but because it makes modification or rework of the site much more complicated (and expensive) it mitigates against the site finding continued profitable use.

Given that the site will almost certainly count as brownfield, redevelopment for much-needed housing would seem obvious.

[knobtwiddler]

Originally Posted by Vintage Engr

I have an interesting story about some work that I carried out there in the late 1970's.
It was a great site to visit, steeped in history.

David.

Please do tell!

[knobtwiddler]

Some good info on the site here: https://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1442

The transmitter hall is an awesome piece of architecture. The map from the air doesn't suggest that there is much pressure for residential dwellings in the immediate area - it looks fairly industrial, with a lot of trees.

[paulsherwin]

The trouble is that preserving and maintaining the site when it goes out of commercial use will cost a lot, especially if the masts are retained, and someone's got to pay for that.

[G6Tanuki]

Yes, the mast will need maintenance and public liability insurance, and will incur business rates too. Nobody wants large transmitter masts any more.

The building, if it's to be reused, will need to be checked and remediated for asbestos, hydrocarbons - they used to have big generators on site - - and possibly mercury and even after that would have to be brought up to modern standards for fire safety, disabled access, insulation, energy efficiency etc.

Old industrial buildings are hard to let to commercial clients - they want something built to their requirements. It's not that far from London, maybe the site could become a Data centre.

Part of the site is already used by Globecast, a satellite ground station operator owned by Orange.

[Paul_RK]

I wonder whether there's scope for the bodies concerned to move to list the site as a scheduled monument: its importance is surely comparable to that of Greenham Common's cruise missile shelter complex and Fakenham's own gas works, both of which already enjoy such protection.

Paul