Changes

On 19 June 2018 the Harworth Group announced that it had bought the Ironbridge power station site for an undisclosed sum. The company plans planned to "''...remediate the site ready for future development and to promote the site through the planning process, targeting the delivery of a new mixed-use development of several hundred new homes alongside commercial development, leisure uses and significant public open space.''"<ref>[https://harworthgroup.com/harworth-group-acquires-major-regeneration-site-as-it-grows-its-presence-in-the-midlands/ Press release, June 2018] (retrieved 22 July 2018)</ref> In October 2018 it set out plans.<ref>[https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/telford/ironbridge/2018/10/12/transformation-vision-for-ironbridge-power-station-site-unveiled/?fbclid=IwAR2vTJ08T2NRRsxH2vydpV5N2Q7u-dXaGBx7dl5_NaxH3IPrdsku1AFnHf4 Shropshire Star 12 October 2018] (Retrieved 22 October 2018)</ref> The towers were demolished on 6 December 2019<ref>[https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/telford/ironbridge/2019/12/06/ironbridge-power-station-cooling-towers-coming-down-today-live-coverage-here/ Shropshire Star, 6 December 2019] (Retrieved 12 December 2019)</ref>.

Following public consultation in May 2019, Harworth Group submitted an outline planning application to Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council for redevelopment of the site on 19th December 2019, which they anticipated would take between six to twelve months to determine.<ref>[https://ironbridgeregeneration.co.uk/the-submitted-application/ IronbridgeRegeneration.co.uk] (retrieved 12 August 2020)</ref> The application and related documents including objections may be seen at the [https://pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=Q2YLFWTD06Z00 Shropshire Council Planning website] and [https://secure.telford.gov.uk/planning/pa-applicationsummary.aspx?applicationnumber=TWC/2019/1046 Telford & Wrekin Council Planning website]. The plan was initially rejected by Shropshire Council's Southern Planning Committee in August 2021 over a number of issues including the level of guaranteed affordable housing,<ref>[https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/telford/ironbridge/2021/08/14/councillor-urges-people-to-look-at-bigger-picture-over-power-station-site/?fbclid=IwAR0PlNp8PNUqFh9gsvEQ_Y0DNP7rV1fIhG2yxhIcHaiLmVRn-vVJAExUOA0 Shropshire Star] (retrieved 16 August 2021)</ref> but was approved in September 2021 after revised proposals were submitted<ref>[https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/telford/ironbridge/2021/09/20/controversial-ironbridge-development-given-the-go-ahead/ Shropshire Star] (retrieved 18 November 2021)</ref>.

In 2021 Transport Design International leased part of the site to create a purpose built facility comprising part of the former railway, buildings, a platform and other infrastructure, with the aim of demonstrating how rapidly a reopening can be implemented and to showcase and obtain certification for a demonstrator [https://transportdesigninternational.com/portfolio/revolution-vlr/ RVLR vehicle] within a railway reopening environment<ref>Modern Railways Magazine, November 2021, p. 84</ref><ref>[https://transportdesigninternational.com/launching-revolution-very-light-rail-rvlr/ Transport Design International, 7 October 2021] (Retrieved 24 October 2021)</ref>.