Time to replace Ironbridge Gorge China museum’s leaky roof, planners told
A planning application has been lodged to replace the leaky roof of part of one of the 10 museums in the Ironbridge Gorge.
Architects have told Telford & Wrekin Council that the ground floor of the Long Warehouse at the Coalport China Museum has been subjected to regular flooding.
This, says Stephen Oliver of Oliver Architecture in Birmingham, means “the high humidity left within the building contributes to the failing of internal decorations”.
“Maintenance needs to be improved, for example to clear moss and debris from roofs and rainwater goods,” he wrote. “The interior decoration, fixtures and fittings are worn but will continue to be subject to heavy use so regular programmes of work are to be envisaged.”
An application has been lodged with planners to replace the roof of the building off High Street, Coalport, plus work on the rooflights and the repointing of a chimney.
Two applications – one for full planning permission and the other for listed building consent – have been lodged on behalf of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.
The former China works is a Grade II*-listed group of buildings and structures within the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It was founded by Edward Blakeney and John Rose in 1795/6, following the construction of the Shropshire Canal in 1790-1793.
It created some of the world’s finest China with its work gracing the tables of kings and queens.
For more than a century, the Coalport China Works was among the most successful of its kind anywhere in the world. The company occupied the factory until its closure in 1926.
Over the years the building has been heavily restored.
Planners have been told the that the roof is coming to the end of its lifespan and leaks are appearing across the pitches.
The architect has told planners that the “scale of the proposed repairs and redecorations are sympathetic and essential to preserve the architectural and historical significance of the listed building and extend its longevity, thereby allowing future generations to enjoy the industrial heritage of the Ironbridge Gorge”.
“It is therefore hoped that consent can be granted for this work.”
A public consultation has opened on the application, with details available on the Telford & Wrekin Council planning portal (reference TWC/2025/0807).
