Star comment: Our history has to be respected

The town was at the centre of the Industrial Revolution as the world changed for good.

And its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognises the continued importance it has. In more recent years, Ironbridge has generated power for the National Grid. The plant at Buildwas, which is now closed, has burned coal and biomass to generate energy.

The area is changing, however, and finding ways to adapt to the challenges of a new era. The Ironbridge Power Station is on the market and buyers are being sought for the 141-hectare site.

The owner of the site has appointed an organisation that will liaise with the community to ensure locals are kept informed. It is a welcome move and we must hope that the liaison will be meaningful, honest and transparent, rather than a PR exercise. The Ironbridge Power Station site is one of the most strategically important plots of land in the region and if it is to be redeveloped it must be in a manner than is sympathetic to the local community and the wider area.

Any redevelopment must honour the legacy of Ironbridge and not bespoil one of the region’s prettiest and most lucrative tourist sites.

There are reasons to be optimistic. The Bedlam Furnaces, in Ironbridge, are being protected for the future as part of a £1.2 million plan.

The icon of Shropshire’s World Heritage Site have been designated as being ‘at risk’ by Historic England and they will be sheathed in scaffolding and a canopy to prevent further deterioration.

It is hugely important that they are saved.

We have the technology to ensure that severe winters no longer damage the Grade II* listed Scheduled Ancient Monument and all steps must be taken.

Ironbridge attracts huge numbers of visitors each year and plays a massive part in the region’s tourist offer.

Money invested in the preservation of key sites will quickly be recouped as visitors continue to learn about the past at Ironbridge’s key sites.

It is heartening that a number of agencies and private companies seem to show the area the respect it deserves.

It will remain important to the region for generations to come and decisions made now will have an important bearing. We must continue to act in its best interests.