North East File Collection - NEFC

APPLICATION NUMBER: R-2020/0724/PND-Officer Report

PROPOSAL: PRIOR NOTIFICATION FOR DEMOLITION OF VARIOUS OBSOLETE BUILDINGS APPLICATION SITE AND DESCRIPTION

The application seeks prior approval for the demolition of various obsolete buildings at the former Redcar Steel Works, South Bank, Redcar.

The buildings are functionally obsolete and are no longer required for their intended purpose. The sites have been identified as one of a number of opportunities to clear assets in advance of future redevelopment, in line with Teesworks aspirations for the wider site area as set out in its Regeneration Master Plan.

The applicant has provided the following description in a supporting letter outlining the works that are intended to take place.

The application seeks prior approval for the demolition and deconstruction of the following:

1 Instrument House (10m2);

2 Store Buildings (5873m2);

3 Fan House & Stand (12m2);

4 Oil Tanks (21m2);

5 Old Canteen (720m2);

6 Fabrication shop sub-station and transformer (83m2);

7 Tube City Garage (732m2);

8 Conveyor Tail Unit and Conveyor Unit 171B (50m2);

9 Conveyor Tail Unit and pit conveyors;

10 Traverse Pit (139m2);

11 Coal Handling Welfare (139m2);

12 Coal Handling Control Room (280m2); and

13 Coal Handling Conveyors and Junction Houses.

As set out in the accompanying demolition method statement, the outline sequence of works to be undertaken by an appointed contractor for Areas 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10 is expected to be:

• Site establishment;
• Erection of temporary barriers/fencing and signage to supplement the existing site boundary;
• Existing services location, isolation and removal within building. Any remaining live underground services are to be identified and protected;
• Internal soft stripping and removal of asbestos;
• Demolition of superstructures down to ground level;
• Crushing of demolition rubble to Class 6F2 specification and infill of voids;
• Approved infill and compaction in layers to any basements/ voids;
• General levelling of site to existing site contours using site won material;
• Removal of all arisings off site including recycled metal; and
• Removal of any trip or fall hazards..

The application has been supported by an Outline Demolition Method Statement as required by legislation which sets out the detail of the proposed demolition scheme.

Within the supporting letter it is detailed that the spoil and rubble from the demolition activities is to be crushed to a Class 6F2 specification and used to infill any voids or pipe channels. In terms of the restoration of the site it is proposed that all floor slabs and hardstanding’s are to be retained at this stage. Existing roads and hardstanding areas, including site pathways and fence surrounding the site are to remain in place.

The proposal to demolish the various buildings falls within the definition of Schedule 2 Development as specified in the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017, but the demolition is not considered to result in significant environmental effects, due to the location of the structures to be demolished with the significance not being beyond the local area.

Prior Approval for demolition deals only with the method of demolition and the after care of the site and this issue is examined below.

The proposed structures to be demolished are considered to be in a visually non prominent location surrounded other industrial buildings and structures.

While the demolition and clearance of the site will leave an empty part to the site, it is considered that their removal would not have a significantly detrimental impact upon the surrounding area either with regard to general amenity or visual appearance and will allow for future development of this site and the wider STDC site.

Contact has previously been made with Natural England with regard to any impacts on the ecology from demolition of buildings of this scale in comparable locations. Advice has been given that based on the information provided there is no objection to the works.

The proposed method of demolition and retention of the site thereafter is considered to be acceptable given the location of the site and the potential development that will take place at the site in future years.

Taking into account the content of the report the recommendation is to:

PRIOR APPROVAL NOT REQUIRED

Case Officer

Mr D Pedlow

Principal Planning Officer

David Pedlow

16 December 2020

Delegated Approval Signature

Claire Griffiths

Development Services Manager

16/12/2020