Have your say on former colliery's future

Press release from English Partnerships - 23 March 2004

Community invited to comment on the future of the country’s most valuable coalmining complex.

Local people are being invited to air their views on the future of a derelict former colliery, which is so important historically that it has been awarded the same preservation status as Stonehenge.

The former Chatterley Whitfield colliery, near Stoke-on-Trent, is recognised as the best remaining example of a coalmining complex in the UK. Six of its 34 buildings are listed.

The opportunity has now arisen for the sensitive regeneration of the former colliery, which closed in 1976. This could result in new jobs, training opportunities and new community facilities for the area.

Local people are being urged to view preliminary ideas for the site and air their views at two public consultation events.

The first is being held on Thursday 1 April at The Chatterley Centre (Ball Green Methodist Church), Wilding Road, Ball Green with members of the community welcome to drop in any time between 3pm and 8pm. The second event is taking place on Saturday 3 April at Whitfield Valley Centre, Fegg Hayes Road, Fegg Hayes between 10am and 3.30pm.

Representatives from national regeneration agency English Partnerships, the organisation funding the clean-up and regeneration of the site, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which owns the land, and English Heritage will also be present to answer questions.

Alec Morrison, Project Co-ordinator, of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said, "Public consultation is a very important part of regeneration. We are very keen that the community is closely involved in what happens to the site. No-one knows the needs of the area better than those who live there and we hope they take this opportunity to come along and let us know what they think."

Chatterley Whitfield was added to the National Coalfields Programme in 2002. Managed by national regeneration agency English Partnerships, the programme aims to create new jobs, homes, leisure facilities and open space in former coalfield communities throughout England.

Rob Pearson, Head of National Programmes at English Partnerships, said, "Technical preparation and exploratory work has been carried out to determine feasible future uses for the site. The Public Consultation events are a valuable chance for local people to see how this work is progressing.

"There is an opportunity to regenerate the site - while respecting its valuable heritage - creating employment and community facilities, preserving wildlife and providing training opportunities for local people."

The development plans are being supported by the Chatterley Whitfield Partnership, comprising Stoke-on-Trent City Council, English Heritage, English Partnerships, Advantage West Midlands, Joan Walley MP, the Government Office for the West Midlands, the North Staffordshire Partnership, Coalfields Regeneration Trust and the Friends of Chatterley Whitfield.

Work so far has included carrying out extensive surveys to find out the best way to make the site safe and useable, holding discussions with various bodies to identify possible future uses for the site, and creating a community meeting centre and some office space in one of the old buildings.

A successful bid has also been placed for funding from the European Regional Development Fund to bring the colliery’s Main Office, Wages Office, and Laboratory back into use to provide accommodation for up to 20 small businesses, plus training facilities and community resources.

Chatterley Whitfield facts:

• The 24-hectare site was closed in 1976 after 140 years of mining.
• It was one of the first pits to be electrified.
• It introduced welfare facilities for miners long before legislation made it a requirement.
• In 1973 it was the first pit in the country to produce one million tonnes of coal in a year.
• Its spoil heap was, at one time, the biggest in Europe.
• At its peak it employed 4,000 people.
• The whole site is scheduled as an Ancient Monument. Six of its 34 pit buildings are listed.
• A mining museum, detailing the history of the site, operated at Chatterley Whitfield from 1978 to 1993.