The History of Stewartby brickworks
by Urbex_explorer on August 17 2020 09:17 hr CE(S)T Shortlink to this report: [ https://urbx.be/xrdt ]
Finding out the location |
easy |
Access |
very easy |
Safety |
safe |
Risk of being seen |
low |
General condition of the place |
good |
Traces of vandalism |
few |
Good place for taking pictures? |
very good |
Did you see other people? |
few |
Visit date July 12 2020 at 10 hr
Visit duration 2 hours
I visiting this place a couple months ago after being told about it by someone I done some research and found out the location with was very easy as it’s a well known place, so I decided to take a drive down there and explore this for myself . After arriving I had a walk around to look for a way in and after 5 -10mins I had found easy access ( nothing was broken , vandalised or forced to get in ) after getting in I was shocked at how big this place really was in person and the fact that there was only minimum vandalism on such a big place the rest being generally age related stuff , there was no security but it is on a main road with minimum cars driving past you can walk around the place without being spotted told to leave or being chased by security, there are a couple of cameras at the railway track but that points to the track only! The pictures you can take while at brickworks are unreal and you have to see it for yourself in person here’s abit of history about the place it’s self:)
STEWARTBY BRICKWORKS
The structures are a symbol of the brickwork industry in Bedfordshire and date back to the 1930s. Four of the 32 original chimneys remain on the site, standing up to 70m (230ft) tall.
At its peak in 1936, Stewartby Brickworks produced 500 million bricks a year. The site closed in 2008 as it could not achieve emission standards.
Hanson said "complete demolition" of the chimneys was necessary due to the "safety hazards related to the potential collapse" of the structures.
Network Rail has also raised concerns about the chimneys' proximity to the railway line.
It has introduced a measure where the line is closed when wind speeds of 50mph and above are anticipated, due to the chimneys failing tests set by the Eurocode for resisting wind loads.
However, Historic England opposed the idea, and Stewartby Parish Council believed they should be "protected for the heritage of the whole of Bedfordshire".
In a statement, Bedford Borough Council said the planning committee "resolved to grant consent subject to a legal agreement to provide a new single chimney on the site with 'Stewartby' written down it to replicate the existing chimney, alongside a heritage interpretation scheme to ensure the history of this site is not lost.
"There are no planning applications for housing on this site at this time."
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