PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT IRONBRIDGE
We have now announced that we will be bringing down the four cooling towers via controlled demolition at 11am on Friday 6th December. Full details can be found here.
The minerals application will be submitted by November 2019. We expect the application to take around 6 months to determine but that is the responsibility of Shropshire Council as the minerals planning authority. We held a public information exhibition in early October for the proposals and the consultation boards are available to view and download in ‘The Emerging Proposal’ section of this website.
Approximately 2 million tonnes would be removed, at a rate of 400,000 tonnes per annum (equating to a five-year extraction period).
The intention is to transport the minerals off site via the railway line, to avoid significant HGV movements on the road network. This reflects the importance of our ongoing work with Network Rail and other stakeholders to strengthen the existing railway bridge into site to support the rail movements this would generate.
The planning application for redevelopment will be submitted towards the end of 2019, supported by a series of technical documents including transport, ecology and sustainability assessments. Once submitted to Shropshire Council, residents and businesses will have an opportunity to make further comments on the proposed scheme via the Shropshire.gov.uk website as part of its statutory consultation.
Given the complexity and scale of the proposed development, we anticipate it will take up to a year to determine. This would be the responsibility of Shropshire Council.
Our current proposals mirror what was presented at our last public consultation event in May, comprising approximately 1000 residential dwellings, commercial use, a village centre, leisure uses, primary school, medical facilities, open space and landscaping, Park and Ride scheme, access and associated infrastructure. These plans can still be accessed on the website.
We expect development to take between ten and fifteen years. It will be delivered in phases like all big developments, meaning changes over time will be gradual and planned. Local residents should also note that each phase of development will require what is known as ‘detailed’ planning consent, where the planned development has to conform with the outline planning consent granted for the site’s wider redevelopment. Local people will be statutory consultees for all future applications.
Traffic modelling has been undertaken in conjunction with Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire Council. The results of this will be used to look at the proposed access strategy for the site and vehicle movements in relation to the highways network and future development. The outcome will be used to determine how and where mitigation to road junctions will be needed.
Similarly, we have worked hard with local heritage groups to make sure any development does not adversely affect the gorge or the operation of museums over time. We remain focused on eventually bringing passenger rail services into use to support local ambitions to increase tourism to Ironbridge and this also remains the subject of regular discussion with local groups, including the Telford Steam Railway and Ironbridge Railway Trust.
As above, discussions are taking place with Network Rail over the use of the line and the upgrade of the Albert Edward bridge. The intention is to create a viable passenger rail service from the Power Station to Telford.
Discussion are on-going with both Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Councils over the provision of a new primary school on site and the provision of new medical facilities.
As part of the planning application, our proposals will be assessed from a landscape and visual impact aspect, including potential impacts on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, World Heritage Site and Buildwas Abbey. Mitigation measures such as screening can be incorporated throughout the site as required the results of this assessment.