Create a Public Right Of Way at Buildwas Power Station
Latest information update. Our Chair Anne Suffolk was invited to stakeholder group consultations and technical workshop meetings in 2018 and 2019. She also organised a joint meeting between the developers, Shropsphire Great Outdoors Strategy Board, Telford and Wrekin Local Access Forum and Shropshire Council's Rights of Way Team which she attended, to discuss rights of way and a development that would encourage walking and non vehicular use for both residents and visitors. This was a very special opportunity to advance our campaign for public access and new rights of way here. We will be feeding back into the consultation about the planning application which is now underway. Individuals can see and comment on the planning application by following this link to Shropshire Council application reference 19/05560/OUTor on the Telford & Wrekin planning portal under the application reference TWC/2019/1046. We made a joint response on behalf of Shropshire Area Ramblers and it is published here. If you have something that concerns you about the new rights of way proposals please email us via the contacts tab on this website. The Residential Travel Plan shows the masterplan for roads through the site and proposed new rights of way, see below.
Telford and East Shropshire Ramblers launched a campaign for a Public Right of Ways at the old Buildwas Power Station, and over the historic 1030s bridge (currently disused) leading to it for walkers, cyclsits and equestrians. We sought the support of other local community groups and organisations, as well as all walkers, cyclists and horse riders. We asked for these to be wide, shared multi use paths i.e. bridleways. The path along the disued rail line to the edge of the site from Ironbridge is curently such a path. We asked that this be continued through the site east to west, for a riverside public right of way, and a right of way through the site north south to link the present rights of way over the bridges into towards Coalbrookdale and Buildwas. We also wanted wide tree lined footways and if possible cycleways along the roads through the site to encourage walking, cycling and to enable all non vehicular users to progress safely through and around for both residents and visitors. We wanted the long distance national cycle routes, bridleways (Jack Mytton Way) and footpaths (The Shropshire Way, Severn Way) to be linked up and an alternative optional route to The Severn Way as the path on the northern side is often impassable due to seasonal flooding.
We had expressions of support for these requests from Shropshire Council Division Councillors David Turner (Much Wenlock), and Simon Harris (Broseley), Buildwas Parish Council, Much Wenlock Town Council, Broseley Town Council, Telford & Wrekin Local Access Forum, Telford Bridleways Association, British Horse Society, Wellington Walkers, Shropshire Council's Central Walking Forum, Shropshire's Great Outdoors Team
The power station is being decommissioned, the towers and chimneys demolished and the site has been sold to new owners. Planning permission will be needed for any new re-development. We don't wish to stop or compromise any new projects or buildings, however, it is hard to imagine any new future use that is incompatible with negotiating a path for walkers, riders and cyclists either through or alongside it.
The Severn Gorge is probably the most important area for walking, tourism and leisure in Shropshire and Telford. Many local communities are currently separated by the twin barriers of the power station and the Severn. At the power station boundary riders, cyclists and walkers have to use steep sloped paths which make it very difficult for the less fit and families with small children. Many important long distance walking, riding and cycling routes pass nearby including the Shropshire Way, Jack Mytton Way, Severn Way, Silkin Way and Mercian Way. It would be a real benefit for all, local people, visitors and tourists alike, to create public access and new linear and circular routes here and improve connectivity for non motorised transport.
Our campaign was featured in both the Shropshire Star and Telford Journal
We wrote to the key decision makers at Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Councils, you can read our letter here.
Follow these links to read our original proposals with a map of the site with suggested new paths plus photos. These ideas were improved on and expanded as discussions with the developers took place.
The photo shows a new riverside path on what used to be a brownfield site near Maws Craft Centre in nearby Jackfield. We hope that soon you will be able to walk, cycle or ride all the way along the south of the Severn from Bridgnorth to Buildwas Abbey. This route now ends (below) on the disused railway at the entry to the power station. We also want the old disused bridge to the original power station buildings to be brought back into use as a public bridleway for walkers, cyclists and riders only as another crossing point free from road traffic is badly needed as the road on the north bank of the river lacks safe refuge in many places from fast moving traffic and has blind bends.
