The next phase of demolition work is set to take place at the former Fawley Power Station, just across the Solent from Cowes.
Originally built in 1971, the iconic former oil-powered station was decommissioned in 2013 after several years of being mothballed as part of the Npower network due to the high cost of its fuel. Its 198m chimney has become a well-known landmark in the Solent and has featured in the backdrop of many a photo – and many a ferry crossing!
The station’s flying saucer control room has also been in the cast of many popular blockbuster films including Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Plans were unveiled for a new 1,500 home development for the site in 2017, with the demolition of the structures beginning in October 2019 when the turbine hall roof and de-aerator building were razed to the ground.
In November, headlines were made as an extremely loud bang and a slight tremor were heard and felt across the Isle of Wight as the southern section of the boiler house was demolished.
Now, preparations for the next phase of the works have been scheduled for Thursday 29th July, with boilers 3 and 4 expected to be the next to be removed at approximately 10:00.
I can’t understand why there is not an action group to save the chimney. It is after all a landmark and useful navigational tool for shipping and some aircraft and is part of the viewpoint from the island. Portsmouth spent a fortune on building the Spinnaker Tower but that chimney is higher and already there. The circular control room also should be saved. The planning page on the New Forest National Park’s website shows overwhelming objections to the demolition of the chimney so I don’t understand how approval was given anyway and all the objections ignored. + Birds nest on it. It is a landmark and should be saved.