North East File Collection - NEFC

APPLICATION NUMBER: R-2021/0397/PND-Officer Report

LOCATION: FORMER REDCAR STEEL WORKS SOUTH BANK COKE OVENS REDCAR

PROPOSAL: PRIOR NOTIFICATION FOR DEMOLITION OF SOUTH BANK COKE OVENS BATTERY PLANT AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES AND ANCILLARY BUILDINGS

The application seeks prior approval for the demolition of South Bank Coke

Oven Battery Plant at the former Redcar Steel Works, South Bank, Redcar.

The buildings are functionally obsolete and are no longer required for their intended purpose. The site has 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:

• Wilputte Battery;
• Battery Bunker;
• Battery Welfare Block (including Battery Coke Wharf and Plough and Coke Hopper Dust Suppression Liquid Tank);
• Wilputte Quench Tower;
• Simons Quench Tower;
• West Coke 440v Substation;
• Wilputte Substation;
• Battery Chimney;
• Triple Flarestack;
• Simon Calves Battery Remains;
• Coke Conveyors – C1 & C2;
• Coke Conveyors – W2 & W3;
• Mist Pipebridges and Racks with associated Services; and
• Minor Ancillary Buildings.

Within the submission is a plan SBCO-ATK-SBK-ZZ-DR-C-0001 Rev P01 that illustrates the location of these various buildings and structures.

It is noted that within the supporting documentation the Dorman Long tower is specifically referenced as being excluded from the demolition project and the red line site boundary. The application therefore does not consider the demolition of the Dorman Long Tower.

The application has been accompanied by an outline method statement with regard to the demolition process. Within this a summary of the general scope of works has been provided. The summary is as follows;

• Clean, tidy and remove general rubbish, debris and above ground loose materials off site from the project site area.
• Remove and dispose of identified asbestos
• Undertake structural surveys / temporary works design where close proximity structures are to be retained / protected
• Decontaminate assets
• Complete soft strip to all above ground assets, structures and buildings
• Demolish and remove from site all the above ground assets within the project site boundary and leave safe
• Backfill below ground voids and other excavations with appropriate material, tested and compacted
• General regarding of the site
• Disposal and recycling of materials arising from the works.

In terms of the restoration of the site the submitted documentation details this as; following the completion of the demolition works, the processing and removal of all arisings and the area is clear, all surface areas will be cleanedoff level with adjacent surface area levels and any remaining trip hazards will be cut flush with the surrounding ground level. Remaining stumps / rebar will be cut flush with ground level using oxy / propane hot cutting equipment.

The proposal to demolish the South Bank Coke Ovens has the potential to fall within the definition of Schedule 2 Development as specified in the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017.

The applicant in their submission has considered the potential impacts of the development with regard to whether the demolition would constitute EIA development. The supporting letter details the following;

The Demolition Method Statement which has been prepared and accompanied the Prior Approval application includes the following mitigation:

1. Measures to ensure the safety of demolition workers and humans in the surrounding area, including from the risk of hazards or major accidents and from contaminated materials within the buildings;

2. Dust management measures, which will ensure no significant effects from dust on human health or ecological receptors and thus no likely significant air quality impacts;

3. Tertiary noise and vibration mitigation measures, which will ensure no significant noise and vibration effects on human receptors in the area;

4. Pollution control measures to ensure no likely significant effects on the water environment or soils/ground conditions or any ecological receptors in the area.

In addition to the mitigation set out in the Demolition Method Statement and set out above, the following mitigation is also proposed.

5. Requirement to demolish the buildings outwith the breeding bird season or

• if demolition to occur within breeding bird season, there will be a need for an ecologist to undertake a checking survey and identify an exclusion zone around any nesting birds, where demolition will not be acceptable until agreed with the ecologist.
• Demolition traffic would be limited, particularly, in the context of existing traffic flows and therefore no significant transport related effects are likely and consequently no associated noise or air quality effects are likely from demolition traffic;
• For the duration of the demolition works there is potential for some adverse landscape and visual effects, however, given the location of the demolition works relative to visual receptors and the temporary nature of these works, the effects are not likely to be significant;
• As noted above the ecologist has advised that no significant effects from disturbance, dust or noise are likely on the SPA and that there would be no significant impacts on protected species or priority habitats as a result of the proposed demolition; and
• None of the buildings to be demolished are listed and the demolition site is not within a Conservation Area. There are therefore unlikely to be any significant cultural heritage effects arising from the demolition of the buildings.

Furthermore, the development of the original buildings is likely to have removed any potential archaeological remains. Therefore the demolition works, including the removal of building foundations is unlikely to give rise to any effects on archaeology.

It is considered that through the demolition method statement and the mitigation measures that fall outside of this that the proposed demolition works would not result in significant environmental impacts that would require the works to be supported by an EIA 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 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

9 June 2021

Delegated Approval Signature

Claire Griffiths

Development Services Manager

09/06/2021