1,000 homes to be built on Ironbridge Power Station site with formal planning permission expected soon

Councillors gave their consent to the controversial new village on the site of the former Ironbridge Power Station in 2021 but complex legal talks behind the scenes meant that confirmation could not be given to developers the Harworth Group.

Shropshire Council's Southern Planning Committee was told on Tuesday (Aug 23) that legal agreement "is about to be reached" within the next "week or so." Agreement is expected to include section 106 payments.

The ending of the legal logjam is expected to set the ball rolling on the building of the first 75 homes. Planning officers are bracing the council to receive applications to clear around 80 conditions that were imposed by councillors when they agreed to the principle of the development.

Because the application site straddles Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Council areas, councillors at Tuesday's meeting decided to go ahead with a memorandum of understanding with Telford & Wrekin.

It means that further technical applications will not need to go to both councils, which officers feared could cause "a lot of confusion", the committee was told. Shropshire Council will take all future decisions on the site, with Telford & Wrekin Council being consulted.

Councillors voted unanimously by 11 votes to nil, to accept sole planning responsibility for the site.

Developers, the Harworth Group, says that as well as houses, part of the first phase will also include upgrading two bridges over the River Severn.

Planning permission was granted for 1,000 homes to be built in September last year despite a storm of controversy from communities nearby.

Protesters fear traffic dangers as the new residents move onto the site.

Agents Pegusus, working for the Harworth Group, said: “It is anticipated that the first two phases of the proposed redevelopment would include the construction of residential dwellings on the eastern part of the power station site.”

Construction is anticipated to begin later in 2022.

Meanwhile a planning application has been lodged with Shropshire council for infrastructure work on an eight hectare part of the 142 hectares area off Buildwas Road.

The work should take 34 weeks to complete, from November 25, to July 21, 2023.

The plans are for a development of up to 1,000 dwellings, with a retirement village, employment land, a local centre with shops, allotments, sports pitches, a railway link, leisure uses, a new primary school and a park and ride facility.

Harworth Group purchased the former Ironbridge Power Station in June 2018, after the site ceased operation in November 2015.

The four cooling towers were demolished in December 2019 and the former Bunker Bay was demolished in July 2020.

The Tank Bay was demolished in January 2021, followed by the Boiler Bay in February 2021. The final key demolition event, the chimney stack took place in late summer 2021.