An upgrade to gas pipes in Budleigh Salterton High Street set to start in the New Year has sparked a community drop-in event for residents to view the plans.
Wales & West Utilities is inviting residents and businesses to Budleigh Salterton Public Hall, in Station Road, on Monday, November 16, to learn more about the next phase of works set to start in the High Street area of town on January 4, 2027.
At the drop-in session, from 10am until 5.30pm, residents can look at the plans and speak to the project team.
The work in January is the second phase of gas pipe upgrades in Budleigh, which started in September this year and are due to end as the next stage begins.
Some £2.1million is being ploughed into the town’s upgrade over the next two years, to replace more than four miles of wider mains gas pipes.
Wales & West Utilities said the upgrade would replace ‘critical energy infrastructure’ .
The company said it was working closely with the authority in its planning.
And it thanked Budleigh residents amid any disruption during the works.
Roxanne Whittaker, managing the Wales & West Utilities’ work, said: “We’d like to welcome members of the local community to our drop-in event so that we can share our plans and answer any questions about this next important phases of work in the area.
“We understand our work can cause disruption and we would like to thank the community for the support and patience already shown as we complete phase one of this upgrade work.”
She added: “We’ll be keeping the local community updated on these works and working with the local authority, and other key partners, to keep disruption to a minimum.”
The utilities company said maintaining a resilient gas network was ‘vitally important’ for future safety and reliability.
A Wales & West Utilities spokeswoman said: “Members of the local community are invited to a drop-in session at Budleigh Salterton Public Hall next Monday. Here, they can view plans and direct any questions to the project team.
“The second phase of the project will start on 4 January 2027 in the High Street area of the town and is vital to ensuring that gas continues to flow safely and reliably to homes and businesses across the area, helping to keep people warm for decades to come.
“The first phase of the project began at the end of September and will finish as the second phase begins.
“Wales & West Utilities will continue to work closely with Devon County Council to plan the project.
“The project is part of Wales & West Utilities work to invest over £2.1m over the next two years to upgrade gas pipes in Budleigh Salterton. The intensive programme of wider mains replacement works will see over seven kilometres of gas pipes upgraded across the area as the company upgrades the critical energy infrastructure in the area to benefit local customers.”
- The drop-in session at Budleigh Salterton Public Hall is on Monday, November 16, 10am-5.30pm.
