Demo plans in for last remaining Fiddler’s Ferry cooling towers
Peel NRE will start the final phase of the razing of the former power station by the end of the year, provided Warrington Council grants the scheme permission.
Under the proposals submitted by planning consultant Turley, Peel NRE would demolish the power station’s boiler house, turbine hall, chimney stack, and GT exhaust stack – as well as four cooling towers. These cooling towers are all that remains after the first set of four were demolished in December 2023.
“Submitting this application is another important step in the journey to transform Fiddler’s Ferry,” said Kieran Tames, development director at Peel NRE.
“We have already delivered significant clearance works over the past 18 months and subject to approval, this next stage will allow us to continue preparing the site for Warrington’s long-term regeneration needs,” he continued.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to repurpose a nationally significant brownfield site and bring forward new jobs, homes and green space for the region.”
When clearance and land remediation wraps up, Peel NRE will begin pursuing residential plans for the site. The entire 800-acre Fiddler’s Ferry plot is allocated for up to 860 homes (of which 30% are to be affordable) and 4m sq ft of employment space in Warrington’s local plan.
The masterplan for Fiddler’s Ferry also includes a primary school, a local health centre, and a nature reserve.
Warrington Council has already signalled its approval of the first phase of industrial work at Fiddler’s Ferry, pending the signing of a Section 106 agreement. This is for 1.5m sq ft of sheds on a 99-acre plot. Peel NRE estimates that the project will create up to 845 jobs upon completion.
TITAN Group is lined up to be Fiddler’s Ferry’s first tenant, with plans to open a processing facility to turn ash leftover from the power station’s glory days into a low-carbon cement replacement. SSE Renewables is also on site constructing a 150MW battery energy storage system.
The demolition application can be found by searching reference 2025/01392/DEM on Warrington Council’s planning portal.
Gosh I think I’ve become a bit of a Peel basher – 800 acres and 860 homes? You could stick an entire new town on that if you get the transport right. What a lack of ambition.
By H
As the article states, the 800 acres is also allocated for 4m sq ft of employment space, a primary school, local centre, and a nature reserve as well.
By Julia Hatmaker
Great use of a derelict brownfield site.
By Anonymous
Let’s just hope the council insist on the school, local centre and nature reserve being implemented first so that Peel can’t suddenly run out of money once the housing and industrial spaces are complete
By Anonymous
How do they control the dust when demolishing , I live close and suffer with Asthma . ?
By Anonymous
Should still be producing power for our energy needs.
By Anonymous
We need a nature reserve in this area,I hope it’s done well, our whole area has been hammered enough with building and industry,
By Anonymous
You can’t keep everything but the creative reuse of one of the towers would surely make it a UK first and an amazing differentiator. What a missed opportunity.
By Disgrace