Planners call for archaeology survey at site in ‘heart of medieval Wellington’
Planners say an archeological survey must be carried out at the site of badly deteriorating buildings in Wellington town centre which are set to be demolished.
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Telford & Wrekin Council planning officials have told their development colleagues at Southwater that they can go ahead and knock down 2 Walker Street, 15 and 15A Duke Street and 15 Crown Street.
A ground-floor commercial unit and four residential units are also lined up for the prominent site opposite a YMCA building, which is also being redeveloped.
In their decision notice granting planning permission, planners ordered that development shall not take place until a written scheme of investigation for a programme of archaeological work has been approved.
Then the archaeological work must be done and a report sent to planners before first use or occupancy of the development.
The council’s planning department was told that the site is in the 'medieval heart' of Wellington and is known to hold archaeological interest.
Planners have also told their colleagues that development shall not take place until a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) has been submitted to and approved.
The planners will have to approve how vehicles are parked, how equipment is loaded and unloaded, how mud will be kept off the roads, the hours of operation, site safety and any security hoarding.
Planners say this is to avoid congestion on the surrounding roads and to protect the amenities of nearby residential areas.
The council’s own developers have been given the chance to object to the conditions.
A structural survey has found that the building is ‘unsound’ and riddled with cracks up to 20mm wide and deathwatch beetles.
Contractors have told the council that the majority of the demolition work will be done by hand and hand tools.
