Demolition of the former Maxell factory has been completed to make way for new homes at the Charlton Gardens development in Apley, Shropshire.
Countryside Partnerships, the UK’s leading mixed-tenure developer, started work to demolish the 183,000 sq ft (17,000 sq m) factory in April with the help of enabling and demolition experts McAuliffe Group. Much of the waste generated from the demolition will be recycled, with around 95% of the former factory’s concrete floor slab being crushed to provide certified aggregate, helping to reduce lorry movements by limiting the need to import material to the site and exporting any rubble.
Built to produce video and audio tapes and batteries, the Maxell factory subsequently moved into plastics as the technology shifted and has lain empty since 2014, when the company moved to new premises in Telford.
The demolition clears the way for further development of the two-, three- and four-bedroom homes that will occupy the site, of which 71 have already been completed. 167 will be open-market properties available under the Countryside brand, and 118 will be affordable homes, available through Bromford. A total of 66 of these new homes will directly occupy the former factory’s footprint.
Charlton Gardens’ homes will be set amongst landscaped open space with a children’s play area, flood attenuation areas and improved footpaths and cycle routes linking the surrounding woodlands. There will also be new links to the A442 Queensway.
Phil McHugh, Managing Director, North West Midlands, said: “The demolition of the Maxell factory is a major milestone for Charlton Gardens, clearing the way for 285 new homes that will provide high-quality living environments for many families in the region, who will be able to enjoy an exceptional lifestyle and a green outlook.
“This development has been designed to help its residents thrive, with great facilities such as a children’s play area, nature on its doorstep and excellent travel links, as well as improvements to make walking and cycling easier and safer.”
John McAuliffe, Group Managing Director at McAuliffe Group, said: "As a local contractor, it’s been a privilege to work on another important brownfield project for Countryside.
“By partnering with the team at an early stage, we were able to manage materials in the most sustainable way possible – processing and enabling the onsite re-use of over 12,000 tonnes of aggregate. We’re now looking forward to seeing this old industrial site be transformed into a new community.”
