Power station development must have environment in mind

Plans to transform the former Ironbridge Power Station site into a new settlement with 1,000 homes and business needs to be carried out with the environment in mind, it has been warned.

The Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership said the plans were shown off at a second community drop in day last month.

And now the partnership will ask developers Harworth to take heritage concerns on board when developing the site, as it borders the AONB.

It will send a response to Harworth before the consultation cut off date on Friday.

Phil Holden, partnership officer, said: “A substantial area of agricultural land at the west of the owned site is earmarked for housing development in addition to the brownfield land of the power station site itself.

“This area is right by the AONB boundary and is probably the main issue of concern for the partnership’s response.

“The site is of high sensitivity, abutting the AONB at the western edge and the World Heritage Site to the east.

“A form of development which supports environment and heritage led regeneration is therefore to be preferred here.

“The layout and design of any proposed development should pay close attention to landform and environmental networks on the site, retaining features of value (e.g. woodland and mature trees), and making use of opportunities from the rolling terrain for some of the development to be relatively unobtrusive.

“Use should be made of open greenspace and new planting to help screen the development, provide a landscape and biodiversity buffer to the AONB and provide recreational benefits for the new residents.”

He added: “The proposed redevelopment of the Ironbridge power station site has been fairly well publicised, and two stakeholder events have been held by Harworth Group.

“The consultation date of June 14 is very short, but it is intended that an AONB Partnership response be made, and the views of members on this are invited.

“After a large amount of site clearance work required, the proposals include mixed development including around 1,000 houses.”