Work to stabilise Ironbridge Gorge wins go-ahead
Major stabilisation work to Ironbridge Gorge was welcomed with by planners, who urged work should start as soon as possible.
A multi-million pound riverbank revival scheme in Jackfield was hailed as "essential" by Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee which approved the measures last night.
The councillors had gone on a site visit to Salthouse Road, where land movement towards the River Severn means structural work is needed.
An action plan was drawn up between Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire councils to secure an area covering 7.6 acres of the World Heritage site.
The Government has given £12 million towards the work and Telford & Wrekin Council will fund the rest.
Some Broseley residents felt there had been a lack of consultation over issues such as building a compound off Calcutts Road, the movement of construction vehicles and alternative routes during the disruption.
But speaking at the meeting, Broseley residents Jean Jones, Graham Hollox and town councillor Peter Smith thanked Telford & Wrekin Council's planning officer Valerie Hulme and the agent Neal Rushton for their help in allaying their concerns.
They gave their support to the bolstering of 350 metres along the river at Salthouse Road, ascending 250 metres into Jackfield, along with the creation of a new road, car park and river viewing areas.
Significant landslides have been recorded in the area around Salthouse Road since the 1880s. In 1952, six houses were lost, about 300,000 tonnes of ground had moved and the width of the river was reduced from 38.1m wide to 24.4m.
Councillor Nigel Dugmore said: "From the site visit I saw it is absolutely essential work. The community of Salthouse disappeared into the river 20 to 30 years ago and obviously we don't want that to happen to any more communities. It's going to be a major disruption to residents for a couple of years but the agent has bent over backwards to help minimise that. We've got to get cracking with this sooner rather than later."
