THE demolition of the towers at Fiddler's Ferry Power Station in Warrington will take place later this year.

The plan will see the iconic landmarks - which are visible from parts of St Helens - brought down on Sunday, December 3.

The date has been confirmed by civil engineering and groundworks specialists, P.P. O’Connor.

A spokesman said: "Throughout the process, P.P. O’Connor has, and will, communicate with local residents and stakeholders in the community to ensure they are kept informed to ensure clarity and opportunity for discussion."

What will happen on the day

Scheduled to take place between 8am and 12pm, in order to minimise impact for residents and reduce traffic disruption in the area, the blow down will take just seconds, but cause a dust cloud lasting approximately 10-15 minutes.

Associated resident evacuations and road closures will be in effect from 7am on the day.

Extensive work is being carried out to ensure the highest safety standards are upheld and hazardous materials have already been removed in preparation for blow-down.

The spokesman added: "P.P. O’Connor will check weather conditions and carry out full pre-checks and safety checks on the day. Following the blow-down a series of safety checks will take place ensuring all the explosives are blown, the concrete piles will be inspected and the roads will be cleaned and confirmed safe."

Demolition debris will be processed and recycled on site for future development.

The site will become housing

Daniel Mackinlay, demolition manager at P.P. O’Connor, said: “As a business, communication is key when working on any project. With the planned blow-down at this site, we have ensured we have maintained regular communication across the community to allow them to air any questions or viewpoints in advance.

"Our plan is to reduce any impact on the local community and maintain ongoing dialogue throughout the process.”

Plans for the process were submitted by developers Peel NRE to Warrington Borough Council in September, outlining the process of how the site will be demolished. The information, including a demolition statement and plan for control of the site and safety in the local area, were approved.

P.P. O’ Connor was appointed by Peel NRE after a competitive tender process. The selection was due to previous experience in complex demolitions such as INEOS in Runcorn, Lyondellbasell in Carrington and Stanlow Refinery in Ellesmere Port.

The Cuerdley site has been earmarked for housing and industrial use. The power station closed in March 2020 after nearly 50 years.