PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT IRONBRIDGE
Our next key piece of work is the demolition of the former Ironbridge Power Station’s former Bunker Bay, scheduled for between 11am and 1pm on Friday 17th July 2020.
It is important to note that while the demolition is planned for this date and time, there may be adverse weather conditions or other circumstances that could cause a delay or possible postponement of the demolition. Should this be the case, Harworth will issue further statements to advise on its timetable.
Our principal concern is to bring the Bunker Bay safely, in full compliance with the Section 81 notice issued by Shropshire Council for this purpose. To protect everyone on site and in the local area a 250m safety exclusion zone will be in place shortly before, during and for a period after the explosion to which there will be no public access. A map of the exclusion zone can be found here.
As we’re only applying a 250m exclusion zone, no road closures are required, though we do advise people to note the 11am to 1pm window of work and to plan their journeys accordingly.
The blowdown of the Bunker Bay will generate dust. The vast majority of dust generated by the blowdown will fall within the Bunker Bay’s immediate vicinity. There remains the possibility however that some dust will be carried beyond the 250m exclusion zone. Therefore, any local residents with respiratory conditions are advised to stay indoors during and immediately after the demolition takes place. In addition, our advice to all residents is:
No. No access will be given onto site, with the 250m exclusion zone enforced by sentries on its perimeter on the day of demolition.
We estimate we have a further 12 months of demolition work after the Bunker Bay, hence we estimate our demolition works will be completed by Summer 2021. Further updates will be given on this website.
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.
PLANNING APPLICATION FOR REDEVELOPMENT
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.