More than 200 homes planned for site of old Ironbridge power station’s cooling towers

Phase 2a of the development is set to include 202 homes, 11 of them classified as “affordable” on the area where the giant cooling towers once stood.

Public works of art are being planned for the area off Buildwas Road which will nod to the history of the area next to the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.

Documents released in time for a meeting of Shropshire Council’s Southern Planning Committee next week reveal council experts directly disagreeing with Buildwas Parish Council over the quality of homes proposed.

Planners, handling the cross-border application on behalf of both Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council, have recommended that the committee grant permission when it meets on February 26.

Buildwas Parish Council objected on several grounds, including the use of a single access point to serve a number of dwellings, a lack of visitor parking.

The parish also “suggests that the design of these dwellings is significantly lacking innovation and that there is an apparent lack of design to meet the historical importance of such a site. “

It also suggested that rendering must include something to prevent a “rust” look which has appeared on other properties of a very similar design.

But planning officers disagree and have supported applicant Taylor Wimpey North Midland’s move to get the homes built.

Planners say: “Overall, the aesthetic of the scheme is a thoughtful integration of the site’s history, industrial heritage, and natural landscape, creating a unique and meaningful living environment that is relevant to the site.

“Shropshire Council officers disagree with Buildwas Parish Council that the scheme lacks innovation or design quality,” the report to councillors reads.

The site as a whole has been granted outline approval for up to 1,000 dwellings, a retirement village, employment development, a new school, playing fields, a local centre and retail development.

Seven phases of development are planned in total. Such reserved matters applications would normally be decided by planners using delegated powers but it has been agreed that this one needs to be decided by the committee.

Council planners say the concerns raised by Buildwas Parish Council regarding the site only being served by a single access point has already been dealt with.

They add: “A single access point to serve around 200 dwellings is not unreasonable in highway safety terms.”

They say that the layout has also been designed to reflect the historic significance of the site, particularly the location of the four former cooling towers.

“Although the visual prominence and sheer scale of the towers cannot be replicated in height for a residential development such as this, their significance is reflected in the concept of the four ‘fallen towers’ which is created through a north south perimeter block pattern at the eastern edge of the site.”

They add that within a central green space public art pieces are also proposed and will be spaced 120 meters apart to reflect the height of the former cooling towers.

“Final details of the public art have not been provided within the reserved matters submission but can be agreed post determination and a condition to secure this has been suggested,” say officers in the eport

Officers has recommended that councillors grant permission subject to another set of 11 conditions to add to the 69 and a S106 agreement that are aimed to control the development.