Proposed 200,000-gallon Petrol Storage in Fulham.
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At the meeting of the London County Council, on Tuesday, the 25th ult., the Public Control Committee reported that the Council, on the 7th of December, 1909, decided to grant a licence to the British Petroleum Co., Ltd., to keep 270,000 gallons of petroleum spirit at riverside premises in Stevenage Road, Fulham. Subsequently local opposition was raised to the company's proposals, on the ground of the alleged unsuitability of the site in Stevenage Road, and, having been informed that the freeholders of the land would not be prepared to let the site for the purpose, the Council, on the 18th of February, 1910, rescinded its resolution. The company has now applied for a licence to store 200,000 gallons of petroleum spirit in premises at America Wharf, Townmead Road, Fulham, which are about two miles lower down the river than the site in Stevenage Road. At. the present time, the principal hulk storage, from which the London district is supplied with petroleum, is at Silvertown, where nearly 2,000,000 gallons are kept in above-ground tanks. From Silvertown large quantities of spirit are distributed to various parts of London by wagon, and, as most. of the spirit is required in the western, north-western and southeastern districts, many of these wagons are taken long journeys through very crowded thoroughfares. The esteblislunent of a new bulk depot at Fulham, as proposed, would reduce the amount of petroleum traffic across London, as the spirit would be taken direct by tank barges to Fulham, whence it would have to be transported over comparatively-short distances by road. At present, owing to the fact that the operation of any conditions as to transport imposed by a local authority is limited to the district of the authority issuing the licence for storage,
the conveyance of petroleum across London from Silvertown is entirely unregulated by the Council. If, however, the proposal under consideration be sanctioned, thepetroleum concerned will be under control during the whole of the time it is in London, as it will be conveyed up the river in licensed barges, under the regulation and supervision of the Port of London Authority, it will coma under the Council's licence when landed at Fulham, and it will be conveyed thence in packages and vehicles which must comply with the conditions of the proposed licence. America Wharf, where it is proposed to establish the new depot, comprises a piece of land of about two acres in extent, lying between Townmead Road and the river Thames, with two large, lofty, one-floor, brick buildings and other small buildings and offices thereon; on one side. of the wharf are the electricity and dust-destructor works of the Fulham Metropolitan Borough Council and on the. other side are engineering works. The petroleum would be stored in five underground steel tanks, into which it would be pumped from tank barges through a wroughtiron pipe line. From the underground tanks, the spirit would he primped, as required, into three overhead service tanks, fixed in the brick building near the river, which would he converted into a canning shed. The canned spirit, held in stock would be kept in an approved fireproof building, and due provision would be made against the outflow of spirit from any part of the premises, either into the sewers or elsewhere. Having carefully considered the matter, the Committee is of opinion that a licence should be granted subject to conditions, and a recommendation was made accordingly. The consideration of the matter was adjourned.