| Project type: | New Settlement |
| Client: | ENGIE |
| Stage: | Outline Planning Application |
In April 2021, Cannock Chase District Council and Lichfield District Council granted outline planning permission for a sustainable and innovative mixed-use neighbourhood at the former Rugeley Power Station in Staffordshire.
After three years of extensive community engagement and planning, site owner ENGIE is now taking next steps by commencing site remediation to progress the plans to transform the former coal-fired power station site into a sustainable and innovative, mixed-use neighbourhood, including 2,300 new low carbon homes, a low carbon Academy school, 5 hectares of employment space and a new 25 hectare country park alongside the River Trent.
Transforming a former coal-fired power station into a sustainable and innovative mixed-use neighbourhood
Located on the edge of Rugeley Town Centre in Staffordshire, Rugeley Power Station is a 139-hectare site which consisted of a series of disused coal-fired power stations, gas turbine generator, cooling towers and chimneys. Despite its visual dominance over the town, it was also the economic and social life blood of the town providing jobs and social facilities including a sports and social club, which established subsidiary clubs for fishing, football and boat and railway modelling.
Key to ensuring the vision and proposals for the town met the needs of the community was a process of extensive community engagement, which was made more complex because the site straddles both Cannock Chase District Council and Lichfield District Council.
Working in close collaboration with the community and key stakeholders, we developed a proposal which creates a new 25-hectare public Riverside Park, accommodating opportunities for walking, cycling and informal play. It also delivers enhanced areas of biodiversity and wildflower meadows whilst providing access to part of the River Trent that has been inaccessible for decades.
Running through the length of the development, ‘The Railway’, which follows part of the former railway spur, acts as a green spine and a sustainable movement corridor, providing a 2.8km long safe, multi-modal route.
It will interconnect with all the open green spaces helping promote active lifestyles. The development proposes two areas of community focus. The first neighbourhood hub, situated to the north-west and closest to the town, has the potential to include a convenience store, healthcare facility and retail opportunities, all centred around a town square, providing an excellent platform for the old and new communities to come together.
The second area of focus embraces the existing Borrow Pit Lake and its proximity to the Trent and Mersey Canal. Walking routes around the lake and opportunities for water-based leisure activities, such as fishing and boating, make this an attractive destination for residents and visitors alike.
Project Delivery
– Outline planning application and ongoing design codes.
– Up to 2,300 new dwellings to contribute to the housing needs of the community.
– 1.2 hectares of mixed-use leisure, retail and community spaces as well as a 25 hectare riverside park.
– Up to 5 hectares of employment space.
– A new school for the community.
– Formal and informal public open space.
– Ground and roof mounted solar panels and the existing electrical substations will be retained on the site.
– Key infrastructure including new adoptable roads within the site and the provision of a new primary access junction onto the A513.
Background
In 2016 Rugeley Power Station ceased production of electricity to the National Grid and created the opportunity to deliver an exciting new future for the site through a mixed-use development. Site owner ENGIE - a leading energy, services and regeneration company - is committed to working closely with the local community and appointed architects and urban designers JTP to facilitate the Community Planning Weekend.
Community Planning Weekend - Friday 30 November and Saturday 01 December 2018
Over 400 people took part during the Rugeley Power Station Community Planning Weekend process to help shape a Vision for the future of this important site and its relationship with Rugeley.
The Community Planning Weekend was an opportunity to share local knowledge and contribute to shaping the new Vision through facilitated workshops and hands-on planning groups. There was also an exhibition explaining the background of the site. Participation was on a drop-in basis and team members were on hand to answer questions.
Report Back Presentation - Tuesday 04 December 2018
After the public workshop days, the team analysed and summarised the outcomes to draw up a Vision for the Power Station site, including an illustrative masterplan. This was presented back to the local community on Tuesday 4 December at Mansefield House.
Rugeley Power Station Renaissance Forum - Wednesday 30 January 2019
Around 75 people attended the first Rugeley Power Station Renaissance Forum to hear the latest updates about the Power Station regeneration and to discuss how the community can continue to be involved in shaping the future.
Rugeley Power Station Regeneration Exhibitions and Renaissance Forum - 20, 22 & 23 March 2019
These events included an exhibition of the latest iteration of the proposals for the site at three different locations where the community were able to ask questions and submit feedback. In addition, the Renaissance Forum was held at the Rugeley Rose Theatre on Wednesday 20 March 2019.
Rugeley Power Station Outline Planning Application Exhibition - Thursday 4 July 2019
Around 75 people from the local community attended the Outline Planning Application Exhibition for the Rugeley Power Station site to view the submitted proposals.
| Project type: | New Settlement |
| Client: | ENGIE |
| Stage: | Outline Planning Application |
