Proposals to demolish nuclear site building

The former Calder Hall nuclear power stations sits on the Sellafield site in West Cumbria

Proposals to demolish a building that was once part of the world's first full-scale nuclear power station have been submitted.

Cumberland Council is considering plans to pull down the Calder Hall turbine hall A (CHTHA) building on the Sellafield site.

The building is redundant and has "reached the end of its useful life", the application stated, adding: "Sellafield is currently undertaking option studies into future development options."

Hailed as the dawn of the atomic age, Calder Hall produced electricity for 47 years and stopped generating power in 2003.

Opening in 1956, Calder Hall consisted of four Magnox reactors, two turbine halls and four cooling towers.

The towers were demolished using explosives in 2007 as part of the plant's decommissioning process.

Calder Hall generated power for 47 years

The overall size of the turbine hall is 245ft (75m) long by 121ft (37m), with the switch room extending a further 33ft (10m) out from the east side of the overall building.

There are steam turbines and condensers inside which are supported on reinforced concrete platforms, according to the demolition application covering letter, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Given the potential future redevelopment at the site, they proposed removing the building superstructure and retaining the existing concrete foundations.

"Any future development proposals will be presented to relevant stakeholders and will be subject to formal planning application and consent from the local planning authority," the letter added.