Richborough Power Station Demolition

Sorry about the last post I tried to use my mobile phone, difficult on a bright and sunny day as I couldn’t actually see what I was doing.

Plenty of excellent material on the web already as you see from the video above, pictures from above on Simon’s blog see http://birchington.blogspot.com/2012/03/towers-come-down.html


I will add some more pictures from this morning as I get around to it.

For something the council described as not an event quite a few people turned up as you can see from the pictures of my morning walk

http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/laptop312/id4.htm

http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/laptop312/id5.htm

http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/laptop312/id6.htm

some of these may take a little while to appear online

And here the ones from the camera with the longer lens on it http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/laptop312/id7.htm I may sort the picturs out a bit more at some later date.

Richborough Power Station Cooling Towers and Chimney Demolition Update.

The latest information I have on the demolition is that it will go ahead tomorrow at about 9am, the roads will be closed at around 8.45, a warning siren will sound at about 8.55 followed by a warning Rocket. 

Richborough Power Station Demolition not an event.

The other day I tackled the council about making the best of the power station demolition, the correspondence is below and I reckon they have probably made the right decision on this one.

With the weather forecast it is looking increasingly likely that the demolition will take place this Sunday morning, I will try and get some pictures but have some commitments then.

From:  MichaelChild to: To Do, Calendar To:  sue.mcgonigal

Hi Sue, as you may be aware we have a major event on in Thanet next Sunday, I guess in terms of visual experiences it is pretty much a once in a lifetime event, I would have though the potential for attracting people to the area would be considerable.

I guess I was pretty surprised that the council don’t seem to be taking advantage of this, no press release, no mention on the tourism website, no celeb to press the button, in fact nothing much at all.

I don’t know if you intend to do anything at all, I will be publishing as much as I can find out about it on the blog as I can find out, including that I have asked you if you intend to anything.

 

Best regards Michael

Dear Mr Child

Further to your letter addressed to the Chief Executive, Dr Sue McGonigal, I am

writing on her behalf to respond to your email received on 07/03/2012.   I can

confirm to you that on the 15th of February, 2012, Thanet District Council

Planning Committee gave permission for the demolition of the 3 Cooling Towers

and Chimney at Richborough Power Station.  This is required due to the law which

changed recently as now major demolitions require planning permission. 

In terms of the role of TDC, the demolition has been discussed in detail at the

Thanet Events Safety Advisory Group (SAG) and in conjunction with the

professional demolition team who have been brought together to undertake the

work.  I am responding to your letter in my capacity as the Chair of that group. 

Following those discussions and on the advice of our partners we have determined

that this is not an event and should not be managed as such.  Aside from the

genuine security needs of managing the explosives for the demolition, there are

clear concerns about a large crowd congregating (mainly) on public highways.   

If TDC were to have planned and arranged for this as an event, our

responsibilities and costs would change dramatically.  To begin with the Council

would be responsible, and liable for, ensuring public safety of the crowd

outside of the demolition exclusion zone.  This would mean that the Council

would have to expect a significant commitment from staff on a non-work day, and

funds expended on barriers etc with no identifiable income streams to off-set

those costs. 

It should also be noted that the demolition team are legally responsible for

putting in the exclusion zone and managing the safety and security of that

exclusion zone.  They have asked Kent Police to support them in that and traffic

management will be provided by the AA, with Kent Highways Services assisting if

required. 

As this remains a demolition situation, TDC would only become involved should

the emergency plan have to be implemented and for that reason the officer with

responsibility for the emergency plan will be at the Control Point on the day. 

The demolition team and members of the Safety Advisory Group have worked hard to

ensure that the day goes smoothly, including liaising with the Emergency

Services around issues such as the management of the road closures and diversion

and we hope that the disruption the demolition causes is minimal to those who

live and work in the area affected.

If you have any further enquiries about the demolition then please refer it

directly to Christopher Parr at Cascade Communications who is handling enquiries

on behalf of the demolition team.  His contact details are cparr@cascadepr.co.uk. 

Should you need to contact me, please ensure that you quote the above reference

number in all communications relating to this matter.

Yours sincerely

*********

Community Development Manager

I may also get around to saying something more about the sale of Manston Airport confirmed on Infratil’s website today, I did post about this last month and earlier this month, so was only really waiting for the official confirmation.

Richborough Power Station Cooling Towers and Chimney to be Demolished on Sunday 11th March 2012 Perhaps

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Thanet to attract huge crowds of people to view a major event, I would guess that with no publicity and no organisation thousands of people will turn up anyway.

I have tried to find out from the council what they are doing about this event, there is nothing on their website, nothing on the council funded Thanet tourism website.

I can’t even find what time they are going to be demolished, only that the road closure is from 8am. 

Here is the road closure notification:

Temporary Road Closure – A256 Ramsgate Road, Sandwich and Sandwich Road & Richborough Way, Ramsgate – Sunday 11 March 2012

It will be necessary to close sections of the A256 Ramsgate Road, Sandwich and Sandwich Road & Richborough Way, Ramsgate on Sunday 11 March 2012

It is planned the closure will be for up to 1 hour during the morning, sometime from 8.00 am onwards, as signposted on site.

The closure will be in the vicinity of Richborough Port.

It is suggested that drivers should consider alternative routes as long delays are expected in the area on the morning that these works go ahead.

A contingency alternative route will be brought in to use and signposted, if required on the day.

This will be via the A2 to Brenley Corner then via the A299 Thanet Way (to avoid the closure of the A28 in Canterbury, at Sturry Level Crossing).

There will be no access for through traffic between the north junction with A256 Sandwich By-pass and the new Sevenscore Roundabout, whilst the road is closed.

Public Footpath EE42 will be closed where it meets the exclusion zone around the works, as indicated by signs and barriers on site.

The closure is for the safety of the public during demolition works, being carried out by DDS Demolition.

These works are weather dependent, and the timing may be affected by adverse conditions.

If conditions prevent the works going ahead on 11 March, they will be deferred until one of the following two Sundays.

In the usual Alice in Wonderland way of things in Thanet I have now added “perhaps” to the blog title, it seems this isn’t a major event after all.

I would guess if as many people turn up as used to, to watch the Broadstairs fireworks displays, then it may be cancelled on health and safety grounds due to inadequate crowd control. 

Looking at video footage of cooling tower demolition it seems I got the watercolour picture completely wrong too, it should have much more dust and less fire. I would guess I would have to have lessons in how to paint dust with watercolour, perhaps I should try painting with something dryer.

Richborough Power Station Explodes Unexpectedly

I had hoped to get out and do some watercolour sketching today, instead fraid there in only this sort of, do not adjust your mind – reality is at fault, stuff.

Richborough Power Station, going going gone.

The council have decided Richborough power station is to go between March and November. 

     When it was fuelled with orimulsion people complained that it damaged the paintwork on cars parked near it, makes you wonder what breathing the fumes did to people.