Power station's boiler house demolition to take place later this year

Developer Harworth, which has cleared the site after the demolition of the landmark cooling towers in December, said it would release details of the plan to demolish the boiler house later this year.

The firm said it expects the demolition to take place in autumn. It added that clearance work had taken place at a "reduced rate" in the past few months as it adhered to social distancing and safety guidelines brought in because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In an update to nearby residents Harworth said: "The area of the cooling towers has now been cleared of material and the concrete is being processed for re-use on site.

"The demolition and clearance of the former power station buildings has been progressing well and work is underway to prepare part of the boiler house for explosive demolition later this year; further details will be provided nearer the time of demolition, likely to be in the autumn."

The developer wants to build 1,000 homes, a retirement village, business sites, a primary school, a park and ride, allotments, sports pitches and leisure uses at the former power station site.

Harworth said it was progressing with plans to use the old rail line for removing material from the site.

It will require work to the listed railway bridge before it is able to proceed with using the rail link.

The update said: "The Albert Edward rail bridge is a listed building and currently not in a suitable condition for use. Network Rail manage the bridge and the railway line prior to where it enters our site.

"We have been working closely with Network Rail and both local authorities to understand what repairs will be needed and how these could be undertaken in an appropriate way to avoid any harm to the bridge.

"Once Network Rail are ready, a listed building application will be made for the repairs and subject to approval these will be carried out in due course, enabling movement of materials across the bridge possible again."

The developers have also said that they have looked at responses to the consultation on their planning applications – both for the site as a whole and the quarrying for material – and would be providing responses to both Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin councils in the next couple of months.

The update said: "Since the close of the consultation period we have reviewed all the responses and have agreed with our project team how we are going to address these.

"Conversations have been ongoing with statutory consultees during the application process and our responses will reflected the agreements reached with these parties.

"We will submit additional technical detail on topics such as highways, ecology, flood risk and drainage, heritage, landscape, noise, design and others.

"These details will then be submitted to and reviewed by statutory consultees and both councils to determine if they are considered satisfactory and whether there are any further points of clarification needed.

"We intend on providing our responses to Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin councils in the next couple of months."