Plans have been submitted to start demolition works at the Fiddler’s Ferry Power Station in Warrington to help regenerate the area and create new opportunities for investment, jobs and housing.

New owners Peel NRE, Peel L&P's natural resources and energy company has provided documents to Warrington Borough Council to prepare the first phases of development at the northern part of the Widnes Road site which will include the demolition of the four northern cooling towers, nearby admin buildings and clearance of the former coal stockyard and machinery.

The former fossil-fuel dependent power station which sits on the boundary of Warrington and Halton was decommissioned in 2020 and Peel NRE acquired the 820-acre site in July this year from SSE.

It has been an important part of Warrington's history and economy for the past 50 years and Peel NRE’s 10 - 15-year masterplan for the brownfield land marks a new era for the site with proposals for industrial use and a new sustainable community.

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Plans will also create extensive new parkland and wildlife areas to enhance the environment in partnership with Peel L&P's homebuilder Northstone.

Controlled demolition techniques will be carried out to demolish the four, 115m-high concrete cooling towers and as much material as possible from the first phase demolition will be re-used on the site as engineering material for the re development of the site.

If approved, the demolition is expected to start later this year and take up to a year to complete.

The Fiddler's Ferry site, which also includes agricultural land, was identified in the 2021 version of the Warrington Local Plan for the development of around 250-acres for employment use and a minimum of 1,760 new homes.

Kieran Tames, Development Director for Peel NRE said: "The submission of these plans takes us a step closer to starting work to regenerate the former power station site and secure future investment for Warrington, Halton and the wider region including new family homes, improved facilities and more jobs.

"The first phase of demolition will take place at the northern part of the site, and we will be working with contractors and the community to ensure this is carefully planned and managed to the highest safety and environmental standards.

"We recognise that the demolition programme will be of significant interest to many local people, and we will be ensuring we keep residents informed throughout the process. A public consultation on the first phase of our proposed development will also be taking place later in the year and we look forward to liaising closely with the local community to help shape our plans."