An iconic part of the Mersey skyline is set to disappear in the coming months as the demolition of Fiddler’s Ferry moves ahead.
First Built in 1971, the power station on the northern banks of the River Mersey supplied electricity to around two million homes at its peak. Located along the river near to Warrington and Widnes, the structure has been a defining part of the skyline for more than 50 years.
Following the Government’s 2015 commitment to removing coal from the National Grid within a decade, the site was decommissioned in 2020 and was the last of SSE Thermal's coal-fired power plants. The land was purchased by Peel NRE, part of Peel L&P, which revealed plans to use the area for new homes and industrial facilities.
READ MORE: Close-up look at Fiddler's Ferry Power Station
The regeneration company has now provided an update on the demolition work that is required to move ahead with the project, with work set to get underway. Peel NRE has appointed local contractor P.P. O’Connor to carry out the work over the coming months.
According to the developer, before the cooling towers are demolished, extensive work will be carried out by the team to ensure the highest safety standards are upheld. Residents in the local area will be kept informed throughout the process, according to the company’s latest update.
The first stage of demolition is said to include the phased demolition of the coal stock yard, the four northern cooling towers and some of the former administrative buildings to the north of the site. Should the project remain on track, it is anticipated the cooling towers will be blown down by the end of January 2024.
A spokesperson for Peel NRE said work is now underway to remove the concrete from around the coal yard. Further work will be carried out on the administrative buildings while focus will turn to the northern cooling towers in the final months of 2023, with a view to seeing the structures blown down by the end of January 2024.
Peel NRE submitted a prior approval notice to Warrington Borough Council in September 2022 which outlined the process of how the site will be demolished. The request, which included a Demolition Statement and plan for control of the site and safety in the local area, has now been approved - paving the way for the major works to begin.
Earlier this year the company revealed that it was seeking permission from Warrington Borough Council to build four large logistics and manufacturing buildings plus service yards spanning 1.4 million sq ft of land on the site’s western flank. A spokesperson, speaking at the time, said the project will bring brownfield land back into use and plug a “chronic shortage” of modern employment space and support 2,100 jobs and add up to £89.2m to Warrington’s economy.
Later phases will include a new neighbourhood east of the former power station, with the potential to include a primary school, shops and GP surgery, with further plans for more housing to be submitted later and as outlined in a masterplan to be published later this year. Peel said Widnes Road will be improved as part of the project and a pedestrian path and cycleway will be created, adding the company had committed to a net 10% biodiversity gain.
Commenting on the planned demolition works, Kieran Tames, Development Director at Peel NRE commented: “This announcement is one of the most exciting of this project so far and marks another major milestone in the redevelopment of Fiddler’s Ferry. It’s reassuring to be working with industry experts, P.P. O’Connor as we demolish one of the countries last remaining coal-fired power stations.
“We know that the demolition has been anticipated by communities, not just in Warrington but across the region so will ensure that residents will be kept updated on our demolition plans as we develop a precise timetable.”
