Work has finally begun to dismantle Weymouth’s last remaining gas holder – paving the way for potential redevelopment of key harbourside land.

Contractors are at the Westwey Road site carrying out demolition work which will last until the end of the year.

The landmark gas holder, or gasometer, dates from the 1950s and is the last of three structures to be cleared from the old gasworks site.

Such structures are no longer required due to developments in gas pipe technology. It was due to be pulled down a few years ago but had been pushed back in a programme of works.

It is envisaged the land will eventually be sold for housing – Weymouth and Portland Borough Council views it as a prime regeneration site.

A spokesman for gas distribution company SGN said: “The gas holder has not been in use since 2010 and we’ve now started work to dismantle it. This is because we now store gas within our underground pipe network and our gas holders have become redundant.

“It’s no longer sustainable for us to keep these structures in a safe and visually acceptable condition long term. Our regulator Ofgem is funding the removal of gas holders across the UK, including our holder in Weymouth, because of the risk these redundant structures pose to our employees who maintain them and the wider public.

“We’re now in the process of dismantling the steel structure. Once that’s finished, we’ll then level the ground. All being well, our Weymouth gas holder dismantling project should be finished by the end of December.”

Some ancillary buildings on the site have also been dismantled as part of this project.

Asked about the site’s future, the spokesman said: “There are no immediate plans for the site once it’s levelled.”

Environment spokesman for the borough council Cllr Ray Nowak said: “In 2015, the borough council confirmed that ‘prior approval’ was not required for the demolition of the gas holder and prefabricated boiler house and any redundant above ground pipe work at Weymouth Holder Station. That confirmation had a time limit of five years, which we are well inside of. We are not in receipt of a planning application for the redevelopment of this site.”

Council leader Cllr Jeff Cant added: “We have identified this as an important regeneration site in the Weymouth Town Centre Masterplan and although we have no direct involvement we press regularly for a resolution to this eyesore by the harbour.”