Gas Works Chaos Sparks Outrage in Sandhurst

Questions have been raised over the planning and coordination of major gas works in Sandhurst after councillors flagged a run of permit changes, inspection failures and months of disruption.

The work to renew a gas pipe under Swan Lane and Derby Green Road hit residents and businesses around Vulcan Way. Royal Mail vans from the Vulcan Way distribution office had to detour via Hampshire, and building materials left under the railway bridge kept Swan Lane closed into the pre-Christmas period.

Cllr Zahuruddin said council data showed that between April and December 2025, 24 of 38 permit changes - 63% - were requested by the utility company, and more than one in five sample inspections - 22% - failed, including reinstatement quality and site set-up. An emergency permit also had to be amended after missing conditions.

He said: "Given this pattern of permit changes, extensions and inspection failures, does the Cabinet Member consider that SGN's works in Sandhurst were planned and coordinated to a standard that residents would reasonably expect?"

Cllr Gillbe said the permit changes and inspection failures did not on their own prove poor planning, and that when checks failed council officers had insisted SGN fix the problems. He said the council would continue to hold SGN to account.

Naz Zahuruddin asked what lessons had been learned from the disruption. Guy Gillbe replied that 'disruption' was a fancy way of describing the impacts of the work which had "caused an awful lot of stress for people trying to get about Sandhurst" which he didn't want to minimise.

He added: "Whilst we can take issue with how SGN have conducted themselves in certain instances, I do believe that we have been adept and forward in our approach in dealing with them to ensure that we hold them to the highest standard." He invited Sandhurst town councillors to meet his department to plan how to hold utility operators to a high standard in future.

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter