Enforcement officers investigating construction work at site of new Telford Aldi, council confirms
Planning enforcement officers are ‘investigating’ after construction work appears to have begun at the site of a new Aldi in Telford before developers had received approval over how to deal with an old mine shaft, it has emerged.
Telford & Wrekin Council has been advised by mine works owner the Coal Authority that work needed to be carried out before construction on the site of the former Shropshire Star printworks had begun. Demolition work is allowed.
The Coal Authority had originally objected to the development, telling planners in July 2024 that “the presence of recorded mine entries pose a potentially high risk to development at the site”.
It later withdrew the objection but on October 14 it advised the council not to pass the pre-commencement 'condition 6' as further evidence was needed.
The Coal Authority told the council that “no evidence or reporting has been presented that confirms any of the proposed remedial works has been undertaken".
“It is our expectation that these works proceed in full, and until such time as complete and reported on, compliance with condition 6 will remain incomplete.
“Consequently, we are unable to recommend that the local planning authority discharge condition 6 until suitable evidence is forthcoming.”
A spokesperson for Telford & Wrekin Council said: “As the local planning authority, we have not received confirmation that this specific condition has been met, so our planning enforcement team will be investigating to ensure that all required conditions are met in accordance with the planning permission granted.”
