Preparing the land

The buildings we’re demolishing were used to make explosives until operations ceased in 2002. All equipment and almost all materials have long since gone, but some small residues remain. We need to remove these final traces before we can demolish the buildings and safely recycle them.

We also need to investigate and assess the land to ensure it’s suitable for the change of use we are planning. The assessment identifies those areas which will require attention to make the land fit for its intended new purpose. This process is called remediation. This involves earthworks, some soil treatment processes and the formation of a licensed landfill facility for materials which cannot be recycled.

We have an experienced team of environmental specialists working with us to carry out this remediation on site – a procedure which we’ve completed safely at other BAE Systems sites across the UK for almost 20 years.

Shaping the land

Once the land has been prepared we’ll reshape parts of the site to enhance the landscape and to create appropriate platforms on which construction of the new development can begin. This part of the process is known as cut and fill earthworks.
The preparation of the land will take place in stages. We’ll begin by preparing and shaping the first phase of the land in the south-eastern and north-eastern corners which will be developed first.

Engineering work begins

The first engineering activity will be the construction of a new entrance off Houston Road at the southernmost end of the site. This will give the contractors and their heavy machinery access to the site to carry out their work. It will also help them avoid using Bishopton’s local roads.

Once the entrance is complete we will construct a landfill facility at the far west of the site. Into this we’ll place non-recyclable building waste, soil, and a small amount of asbestos. This is the only disposal route available to us in the UK. Once the landfill operation is complete, it will be sealed and capped, and then finished with the planting of woodland

Keeping everyone safe

BAE Systems is committed to keeping the development safe for the people who live in Bishopton, and for the people working on site. That’s why we’ll manage the full remediation and earthworks programme for its duration.

We have already put systems in place to ensure all the preparatory work we do meets the stringent regulations set by Renfrewshire Council and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).

Our commitment applies to everything from protecting air and water quality, to health and safety on site, to minimising the potential for disruption and nuisance that heavy engineering works like these can cause.
We will continue to update the site as work progresses. If you have any reason for concern, or if you’d like more information about this work, you can call or write to us. Our freephone service is available at all times for you to speak with someone, or leave a message with your details and we will make sure that the right person gets back to you.

Freephone call number: 0800 130 3302

Or you can write to us:

BAE Systems
Real Estate Solutions
Station Road
Bishopton
Renfrewshire
PA7 5NJ

You can find technical information on remediation, earthworks and associated management regimes on the planning pages of Renfrewshire Council’s website