North East File Collection - NEFC

APPLICATION NUMBER: R-2021/0608/PND-Officer Report

LOCATION: FORMER REDCAR STEEL WORKS SITE (FOUNDRY) TEESWORKS REDCAR

PROPOSAL: PRIOR NOTIFICATION FOR DEMOLITION OF OBSOLETE COKE OVENS & BATTERY; HFO TANKS; POWER STATION & GAS HOLDER; BLAST FURNACE AND SINTER PLANT

The application seeks prior approval for the demolition of various buildings and structures at the former Redcar Steel Works site referred to as the ‘Foundry’ at the former Redcar Steel Works, South Bank, Redcar.

The Foundry has become obsolete and no longer required for the 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.

NO OBJECTION - SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATE MITIGATION BEING SECURED

We consider that without appropriate mitigation the application would:

• have an adverse effect on the integrity of Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar site https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/.
• damage or destroy the interest features for which Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) has been notified.

In order to mitigate these adverse effects and make the development acceptable, the following mitigation options should be secured:

• As detailed in the Appropriate Assessment, the embedded measures to mitigate
• impacts arising from dust, vibration, and waterborne pollution will be sufficient to minimise the likelihood of adverse effects.

We advise that an appropriate planning condition or obligation is attached to any planning permission to secure these measures. Natural England’s further advice on designated sites and advice on other natural environment issues is set out below.

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

The Foundry has become redundant and obsolete from its original use and, therefore, is proposed to be demolished to make way for redevelopment in the future. The site includes the following elements:

1 Redcar Coke Ovens & Battery

2 Redcar HFO Tanks

3 Redcar Power Station & Gas Holder

4 Redcar Blast Furnace

5 Sinter Plant

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

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;

• General site clearance – to 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 to structures are to be retained / protected;
• Decontaminate above ground 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; and
• 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 the surrounding ground level.

The proposal to demolish the for the various buildings and structures at the former Redcar Steel Works site referred to as the ‘Foundry’ 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.

In considering whether the development would constitute development that is considered EIA development therefore requiring the submission of an ES, the LPA have considered the impacts of the proposed development with regard to local population, use of resources, highways impacts, ecology (set out further below), landscape impacts, flooding and natural/built heritage(set out further below). The impacts relating to these topics are considered to be temporary in nature due to the project being for demolition, while any impacts are also only considered to be of a local nature.

With regard to natural and built heritage, it is acknowledged that the structures to be demolished relate to the previous use of the site therefore having direct links to the local population. The structures are however not situated within a conservation area, nor are any of the structures listed. There is therefore not considered to be significant impacts with regard to heritage matters that would require the submission of a EIA.

The applicant has also supported the application with an ecology screening assessment as well as a shadow Habitats Regulations Assessment. The submission of these documents was at the request of the LPA and Natural England to ensure the development did not have an adverse impact on the nearby SPA and SSSI. The information within these documents has been assessed and it is considered that provided the development takes place in accordance with the proposed details including the embedded mitigation there will be no adverse impact on the designated sites. The LPA is therefore minded to adopt the shadow HRA, while the development is required to be carried out in accordance with the submitted details as required by the terms set out in the GPDO.

It is considered that through the demolition method statement and the mitigation measures 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.

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

Informative Note: The applicant is reminded that in accordance with Part 11, Class B (Viii) (bb)) of the General Permitted Development Order 2015 the development must be carried out in accordance with the details submitted with the application. These documents include; Outline Method Statement (Ref WMT/REDCAR/DEM/000) received by the Local Planning Authority on 16/07/21, Ecological Screening Assessment (August 2021) received by the Local Planning Authority on 04/08/21 and the Shadow Habitats Regulations Assessment: Stage 1 Screening and Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment (August 2021) received by the Local Planning Authority on 09/08/21.

Case Officer

Mr D Pedlow

Principal Planning Officer

David Pedlow

26 August 2021

Delegated Approval Signature

Adrian Miller

Head of Planning and Development

26 August 2021