Bersham colliery tip could supply concrete block factory

Some people regard the tip as part of the area's industrial history

A concrete block-making plant could be built as part of controversial plans to remove a landmark slag heap in Wrexham.

Bersham Glenside Ltd won permission to flatten the Bersham colliery tip in 2010 and initially planned to take away six million tonnes of shale by lorry.

It now says a block-making factory would produce lower carbon emissions.

Wrexham council leader Mark Pritchard said there had been "lots of false dawns" over the project and local people were "fond" of the tip.

Bersham Colliery closed in 1986, putting 300 miners out of work.

Wrexham council had originally refused permission for the 50-metre tip to be removed by BGL, but it was granted on appeal in 2010 by the Welsh Government.

Since then, concerns have been raised by community leaders about the lack of progress made at the site, which some residents regard as a landmark of the area's industrial history.

The slag heap, now overgrown with grass, overlooks the village of Rhostyllen

The approval was renewed in 2015 for a further period of five years despite objections from Councillor Pritchard who represents the village of Rhostyllen, which the heap towers over.

The initial plan would have seen more than 100 lorry journeys to and from the site via the A483 every day to take the material to another location for processing.

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BGL said the new plan would help boost jobs in the area, alongside the existing re-use of the colliery buildings and the wider site for commercial and industrial development.

Councillor Pritchard remains unconvinced, and told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We've had lots false dawns on it and lots of false promises on it.

"The last time we had lengthy discussions, they promised us that it would be removed by the Olympics [in 2012].

"We've had issues in other parts of the country with slippage on old colliery banks.

"It's a serious issue, it's nothing to be taken lightly and the people of Rhostyllen are very fond of it."

The application will be considered by the council at a later date.