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Disappointing (but wholly unsurprising) news last month in Redcar of a recommendation to demolish the Redcar Blast Furnace. We can change this though – sign the petition -
https://www.change.org/p/ben-houchen-stop-the-demolition-of-redcar-blast-furnace?recruiter=34622678&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=ae5ae780-dfe3-012f-a334-40401fa5e37a&utm_content=fht-26859912-en-gb:0
#saveoursteelheritage
A short thread. 1/x
https://www.change.org/p/ben-houchen-stop-the-demolition-of-redcar-blast-furnace?recruiter=34622678&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=ae5ae780-dfe3-012f-a334-40401fa5e37a&utm_content=fht-26859912-en-gb:0
#saveoursteelheritage
A short thread. 1/x
This recommendation is a result of a report that was produced last month by the Mayors ‘Heritage Taskforce’*. You can read the report below.
https://www.scribd.com/document/490828674/Teesworks-Heritage-Taskforce-Recommendations-FINAL-120120
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*Not actual picture of Taskforce
https://www.scribd.com/document/490828674/Teesworks-Heritage-Taskforce-Recommendations-FINAL-120120
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*Not actual picture of Taskforce
The Taskforce are an *ENTIRELY IMPARTIAL* and *ABSOLUTELY 100% INDEPENDENT* team chaired by the Conservative MP for Redcar & haulage expert (whose company you might remember was coincidentally given a large stake in Tees Valley Airport from the very same Mayor)
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We could paraphrase the ambitions of report as a whitewash.... But really at heart of it, it is unambitious plan that treats the people of Redcar and their heritage with complete contempt.
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But for fairness, here is a quick summary:
1.Demolish the furnace.
http://2.Select some bits of it from the demolition pile to dot around the business park and maybe put some bits in local museums.
5/x
1.Demolish the furnace.
http://2.Select some bits of it from the demolition pile to dot around the business park and maybe put some bits in local museums.
5/x
3. Make a book about it.
REALLY.
THAT’S IT.
THATS THEIR RECCOMENDATION.
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REALLY.
THAT’S IT.
THATS THEIR RECCOMENDATION.
6/x
Demolition wasn’t always the plan though. I’m old enough to remember the Mayors masterplan from November 2019 – ahh - the good old days.
In it the Mayor stamped his name all over a report that waxes lyrical about the importance of the blast furnace and its heritage value.
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In it the Mayor stamped his name all over a report that waxes lyrical about the importance of the blast furnace and its heritage value.
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You can read that here:
https://www.southteesdc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2.pdf
The masterplan places significant weight upon the cultural heritage of steel making and the need to save it for future generations.
That sounds like a good idea, can we have that? NO!
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https://www.southteesdc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2.pdf
The masterplan places significant weight upon the cultural heritage of steel making and the need to save it for future generations.
That sounds like a good idea, can we have that? NO!
8/x
The masterplan sets about saving the furnace for future generations, knitting the retention of the structure together with new investment and a heritage trail.
So what happening in the few month between Nov 2019 and Aug 2020? And why can't the people of Redcar have this?
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So what happening in the few month between Nov 2019 and Aug 2020? And why can't the people of Redcar have this?
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Well, the Mayor changed his mind.
To justify this, he set up a Taskforce to support his decision.
But to do this, first the Mayor needed to set up straw man....
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To justify this, he set up a Taskforce to support his decision.
But to do this, first the Mayor needed to set up straw man....
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The straw man is a separate report (that predates the Taskforce) produced to explore the most expensive option to save the furnace – lets call it *the Mayors choice* - and spend as much public money as possible. You can read the report here.
https://www.scribd.com/document/490829893/Redcar-Blast-Furnace-Reports
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https://www.scribd.com/document/490829893/Redcar-Blast-Furnace-Reports
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The report proposes this half arsed visionary #clipart proposal.
Which would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic.
The report sets up a wide site clearance with all the bells and whistles for a new large heritage museum (which no one asked for). This costs £24m.
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Which would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic.
The report sets up a wide site clearance with all the bells and whistles for a new large heritage museum (which no one asked for). This costs £24m.
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Its probably times like this that the metallurgical specialist (that's who the Mayor commission to write this report), probably wasn't best placed to understand how to develop a heritage strategy. If you read the report, you can tell that its been designed as a straw man...
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BUT, a simpler, more cost effective way to keep the blast furnace standing has been on the table all along.
@SteelHeritage has proposed simple alternative to carry out basic safety repairs, remove ancilery strucutres to the blast furnace and lighting it up as a beacon.
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@SteelHeritage has proposed simple alternative to carry out basic safety repairs, remove ancilery strucutres to the blast furnace and lighting it up as a beacon.
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This was presented to the Taskforce.
But the Taskforce made no acknowledgement of the proposal and instead focused their report on Mayors £24m plans.
Given the economically prudent and sensible proposals – why the silence from the Mayor?
Well, it doesn’t fit his agenda
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But the Taskforce made no acknowledgement of the proposal and instead focused their report on Mayors £24m plans.
Given the economically prudent and sensible proposals – why the silence from the Mayor?
Well, it doesn’t fit his agenda
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Demolition of course is always the easy option.
The development of towns are forged around the building of layers from every era interlaid over the top of each other. This is what gives the places we live a richness and complexity.
We built, we modify, we adapt.
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The development of towns are forged around the building of layers from every era interlaid over the top of each other. This is what gives the places we live a richness and complexity.
We built, we modify, we adapt.
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We believe the furnace should be saved for future generations.
And without understanding our past, we really don’t know where you are going.
Please sign the petition and follow @SteelHeritage
https://www.change.org/p/ben-houchen-stop-the-demolition-of-redcar-blast-furnace?recruiter=34622678&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=ae5ae780-dfe3-012f-a334-40401fa5e37a&utm_content=fht-26859912-en-gb:0
#saveoursteelheritage
17/x
And without understanding our past, we really don’t know where you are going.
Please sign the petition and follow @SteelHeritage
https://www.change.org/p/ben-houchen-stop-the-demolition-of-redcar-blast-furnace?recruiter=34622678&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=ae5ae780-dfe3-012f-a334-40401fa5e37a&utm_content=fht-26859912-en-gb:0
#saveoursteelheritage
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