Rushcliffe Borough Council has granted prior approval for the full demolition of Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station.
This marks the beginning of the end for the UK’s last remaining coal-fired power station.
The approval covers the dismantling of all major site structures, including the iconic eight cooling towers, turbine hall, boiler house, control building, chimneys, and various associated operational and storage buildings. The demolition forms a crucial step in preparing the 305-hectare site for future redevelopment under the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Local Development Order (LDO), adopted in 2023 to guide the site’s transformation into a clean energy and innovation hub.
The power station ceased coal-fired operations on 30 September 2024, following more than 50 years of service. Built in the late 1960s and operated by Uniper UK, the site has been a defining industrial landmark in Nottinghamshire, its 200-metre chimney and vast cooling towers visible for miles across the Soar Valley. Ratcliffe-on-Soar was one of the last four operational coal-fired stations in Britain when the government confirmed the 2024 coal phase-out, bringing an end to a key era of power generation.
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Uniper’s application sought prior approval under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order for the method of demolition and restoration of the site. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s planning officers recommended approval following extensive consultation with statutory bodies, neighbouring councils and safety authorities. The council determined that both the method and restoration plans are acceptable, subject to strict environmental, ecological and safety conditions.
Demolition will take place in phases and includes the controlled detonation of the cooling towers. A detailed Detonation and Demolition Strategy must be agreed with the council, National Highways, and Nottinghamshire County Council before any explosive works occur. The plan will cover exclusion zones, environmental safeguards and traffic management, given the proximity of the M1, A453 and the East Midlands Parkway railway line. Controlled track possessions will be arranged with Network Rail during key demolition events to ensure safety near the adjoining mainline.
Demolition must begin and be completed within five years of the approval date — meaning all works must be carried out by October 2030 at the latest.
No demolition can start until a demolition contractor is appointed and the required plans — including the Detonation and Demolition Strategy, final Dust and Noise Management Plans, and the updated Materials Management Plan — are approved in writing by the Borough Council.
The site’s close proximity to East Midlands Airport has also been addressed. Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has approved revised Bird Hazard and Aerodrome Safeguarding Management Plans to minimise risks from dust, debris or lighting interference during demolition. Historic England raised no objection but required protective measures to safeguard the Scheduled Monument at Red Hill, a Roman archaeological site that partly overlaps the site boundary. The monument area will be fenced and excluded from any works.
Environmental protections have been central to the approval. The Environment Agency reviewed Uniper’s Materials Management Plan and Demolition Environmental Management Plan, confirming that risks to groundwater and controlled waters can be managed. All waste and materials reuse will be governed by the Definition of Waste: Code of Practice. Dust, vibration and noise monitoring will be mandatory, with full plans to be agreed once the demolition contractor is appointed. Demolition activities will normally take place between 7am and 7pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.
Extensive ecological surveys found the project unlikely to harm local wildlife, though mitigation measures must be implemented for bats, birds, reptiles and great crested newts. Surveys will be updated as necessary before demolition proceeds. Environmental Health officers concluded that noise and dust can be controlled to acceptable levels, though short-term impacts may occur during explosive events, particularly for the nearest residential property, Middle Gate Cottage, around 360 metres away.
The restoration will see all above-ground structures cleared and the land levelled in readiness for redevelopment under the LDO. Demolition rubble will be crushed and reused to fill underground voids, with clean imported material used where needed. The power station’s rail head is to be retained to support future sustainable freight use on the site. Once completed, the cleared land will become a key part of the region’s clean energy and economic regeneration programme.
The decision formally grants Uniper five years to complete the demolition. Rushcliffe Borough Council emphasised the importance of ongoing liaison with safety regulators and the local community throughout the process. The power station’s removal will close a major chapter in Nottinghamshire’s industrial story, paving the way for a new phase of innovation and low-carbon development at one of the East Midlands’ most prominent industrial sites.
