A LANDMARK of the seafront skyline is set to be demolished by the end of next year.

Grain Power Station on the Isle of Grain, Kent, has been a feature of the skyline on the other side of the Thames Estuary since 1979, along with its iconic 801ft tall chimney – the second largest in the UK.

However, after being decommissioned by E.ON on the grounds of economical unviability in 2012, demolition has begun on the oil-fired plant in the last 12 months, with the tower itself expected to come down next year.

Kingsnorth Power Station, opposite Canvey, at Hoo St Werburgh holds the record for the tallest chimney in the UK at 850ft and will also be demolished in 2017.

Philippa Coe, a member of Alexandra Yacht Club, said it would be a shame to lose such a noticeable landmark of “home” when sailing, but accepted there was little point in maintaining a decommissioned structure.

She said: “I will always havememories of it because as you’re coming up the estuary, it’s one of the first things you can see, and you know you’re nearly home – you can see the chimney even in the fog because it’s so tall.

“Particularly if you’re coming in from France, you tend to be in the middle of the estuary because the mouth is quite wide, and you’re always looking for visuals.

“There are markers and buoys, but it’s nice to have things on the shore, especially if you’re coming back from a long trip.

“At the same time, though, if it’s past its sell-by date and isn’t used then I can understand the other side of the argument.”

An E.ON spokesman said: “We expect the demolition of Grain Power Station to be completed in 2016 and Kingsnorth Power Station in 2017.

“We do not have specific timings for the demolition of the main infrastructure of both plants, but we will keep the local community fully informed in advance of key milestones throughout the project.”