ROF Chorley - Run Down and Closure

Run Down and Closure

In the early 1990s a Long Term strategy was drawn up for the whole site; which involved the decommissioning and decontamination of a significant proportion of the explosives area of the site and its disposal for other uses: mostly housing.

About 400 acres (1.6 km2) were declared surplus; and the buildings were cleaned of explosives by burning them. Some explosives work was carried out on part of the retained site, but this too closed in 2007. In 2000 the Royal Ordnance headquarters function was transferred to BAE System's Filton, Bristol site and more recently to Glascoed in Monmouthshire. Much of this site was total cleared of buildings and the major part was used to build Buckshaw Village. Some of the land was also developed for light industrial use.

The former Main Administration Office building was converted into an adult college and now forms part of Runshaw College's, Euxton Lane site. Central Road still exists although the bridge deck has been replaced and the road has been upgraded; it is now known as Central Avenue.

In 2009 the former ROF Heapey was decommissioned after BAE Systems stated that a contract with the MOD had finished. The site is now up for sale with many local historians proposing converting the site in to a museum on the history of the ROF sites at both Euxton and Heapey.