Plan to build Iron Age-style roundhouses in old quarry near Wellington set to be approved
A disused quarry near the Wrekin could become an outdoor activity centre under plans to be decided next week.
The proposal would see Maddocks Hill and Quarry, to the southeast of the Wrekin's neighbouring hill, the Ercall, house a fieldwork centre, accommodation and - uniquely - three Iron Age-style roundhouses.
The quarry provided rock to build roads including the nearby M54 motorway during its 45-year working life.
Now, Tree-Ring Services Ltd, which runs the Oakraven Field Centre in the Forest of Dean, has applied to change the 23-acre site near Wellington into an education facility.
Subjects including archaeology, biology, bushcraft and geology could be taught to students ranging from primary to postgraduate level at the site.
The roundhouses, which would be used for teaching purposes, would be made with watling walls and topped with thatched roofs.
Five timber domed camping pods would also be installed on the site to accommodate students, as well as a timber toilet and shower block.
The site will be powered entirely from solar panels, and an onsite warden would be responsible for the conservation of the site.
Telford & Wrekin Council planners say the scheme should be approved, but the application has proved controversial with objections dating back to 2021.
In the many consultations the project has been through since the applicant first submitted in November 2020, objections have been raised about traffic levels, drainage, the lack of infrastructure and loss of trees.
But after much back and forth, planning officers are now satisfied with the application.
A report that will be submitted to the planning committee meeting next week says: "The educational merits, specialist nature, and rural locational needs, are balanced with the specific designations applying to this site and its surroundings."
The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 15.
More details about the plans are available on the Telford & Wrekin Council planning portal website. Search for application TWC/2021/0190.
