UK regeneration specialist Harworth Group said on Friday that it has received approval for the regeneration of the former Ironbridge Power Station in Shropshire near Birmingham into a mixed-use development comprising up to 1,000 new homes, alongside a range of commercial, leisure and community uses.
The 350 acre (142 ha) former Ironbridge Power Station site was acquired by Harworth in June 2018 from Uniper, having previously been used for electricity generation for over 80 years. The proposed development will deliver up to 1,000 new homes, in addition to a retirement village, up to 200,000 ft2 (18,600 m2) of employment space comprising offices and light industrial units, and a local centre offering convenience retail and other services. The plans will also provide a range of community amenities such as allotments, sports pitches, and a new primary school.
In addition, the former power station’s 1930s pumphouse will be retained as part of the proposals and transformed into a flexible space for community and leisure uses.
Site preparation works are ongoing, with demolition works due to be substantially complete by the end of this year. The development will then be delivered in phases over 10 to 15 years.
Lynda Shillaw, chief executive of Harworth, commented: 'This decision marks a significant milestone for Harworth, taking our total residential pipeline to over 10,000 consented plots for the first time. Together with over 18,000 potential further plots identified across our strategic land sites, this represents a significant driver of long-term value for the business. Demand for our serviced residential plots, as well as our industrial and logistics space, remains very strong, reflecting the structural tailwinds across our end markets.'
