Network Rail to put Gresley Road Triangle plans on show (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Network Rail to put Gresley Road Triangle plans on show

4:40pm Sunday 30th September 2012 in News By Emily Roberts, Chief Reporter

NETWORK Rail is holding a public exhibition to present plans for a new signalling centre, training facilities and offices on land next to Basingstoke railway station.

As exclusively revealed in The Gazette last year, the company was in the process of buying six acres of land on the derelict site, known as the Gresley Road Triangle, near the town centre. Now, Network Rail has taken the project a step further by announcing details of the exhibition, in which members of the public can discuss and comment on the proposals.

The new facility will enable Network Rail employees to be trained in maintenance, engineering design, project management and signalling. There will also be a new route operating centre (ROC) built on the site. The design and information presented at the exhibition next week will form the basis of a planning application, likely to be submitted at the end of this year.

Network Rail will hold the exhibition at The Vyne School, in Vyne Road, South View, from 4.30pm to 8.30pm on Friday, October 5 and from 2pm to 6.30pm on Saturday, October 6.

Network Rail previously told The Gazette that the training facility could see as many as 3,000 workers based in the town over 15 years. The land borders Basing View, and Network Rail will, in total, pay £10million to redevelop the site, last used as a car park and previously earmarked for hundreds of flats.