A landmark tower which has overlooked an area of Swansea for decades is set to vanish from its skyline for good. In September 2021, we reported how 3M in Penllergaer was to close with the loss of 89 jobs. The plant, based on Gorseinon Road, was the American company’s oldest manufacturing facility outside the US.
3M blamed the move on the site experiencing ongoing underutilisation, stating it had been "impacted by changes in the segments it serves, namely the personal care industry, the collision aftermarket and vehicle repair centres". It stated its manufacturing operations at Gorseinon would move to existing 3M facilities worldwide, including Northern Ireland.
The company has now asked Swansea Council for permission to demolish 14 buildings/ structures on site. Planning documents state that "3M is currently demobilising from the Gorseinon Road site and will no longer be able to maintain the structure's and buildings on site."
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The application adds: "3M are undertaking works to facilitate site closure and divestment and will comprise the decommissioning, demolition and disposal of redundant site infrastructure in accordance with British Standard."
Known as the rainwater tower, there are plans for it to be tested, emptied, treated and cleaned accordingly, then demolished and removed. There's also plans to demolish other buildings on the site, including what is referred to as a 'bunded storage area', which will be demolished to ground level.
Also to go are a solvent tank and its associated structure, a tanker bay and deluge trough, a former solvent valve chamber, water tanks, storage tanks, former aerosols bund and pipework, and a site clubhouse.
The application adds: "In demolishing the structures, 3M is proposing to limit demolition to ground level. Ground slabs or other features at or below ground level will be left in situ whilst 3M finalises remediation proposals with NRW. There are no proposals for new buildings or restoration proposals associated with this prior notification submission."
Swansea Council's planning department will now consider the application.
