Concerns raised over demolition explosions in Sheffield
It's feared rules may not have been followed when several chimneys were blown up in Beeley Wood earlier this month
Concerns have been raised that rules might have been broken as explosions were heard during the demolition of chimneys in Sheffield – with locals fearing it could have been a bomb going off.
Cllr Will Sapwell, a Stannington ward councillor, has told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the demolition environmental management plan may have not been followed properly as a lot of people – including him – were blindsided by the loud bangs from Clay Wheels Lane on March 2.
The bangs were heard almost everywhere in Sheffield and as a result, residents shared their concerns on social media – some claiming they were looking for a “mushroom cloud”, as if a bomb hit the ground.
However, the explosions, South Yorkshire Police stated, were part of a planned chimney demolition.
Cllr Sapwell told the LDRS he understood the residents’ concerns around the explosions and even he, a councillor sitting in Sheffield Council, was not informed before the chimneys went down.
He said: “Like many Sheffield residents, I was suddenly awoken on March 2 by a massive bang. Having lived near the Buncefield Depot explosion, I worried that there had been a large gas explosion. When I looked out of my window I noticed that the chimneys had disappeared at Beeley Wood.
“Social media was full of concern – multiple people thought it was a bomb. Some described the very fabric of the house being shaken by the blasts. Fortunately, videos soon circulated of the demolition which put a lot of minds at ease.
“Very quickly, concern turned to anger. It is clear that there has been a complete failure of communication from the demolition company and the Beeley Wood site developers, and that many residents had no warning that this was going to happen.
“As local councillors, we certainly weren’t kept informed, which is disappointing as we would have helped spread awareness of the planned demolition.
“Residents have been in contact with us expressing their anger at the lack of warning. This is all particularly pertinent as local residents are already concerned by plans to expand aggregate recycling work at the same site.
“Having gone through the planning applications for both the demolition and the expansion of the Beeley Wood site, I must say that I share residents’ concerns.
“The demolition environmental management plan, upon which permission to demolish was granted, specifically stated that local residents should receive a letter informing them about the demolition. This clearly didn’t happen widely.
“Many objections to the site’s expansion pertain to concerns about noise pollution, a legitimate concern when plans include the installation of machines called a ‘grizzly feeder’ and a ‘crusher’.
“This begs the question, if the developers couldn’t follow environmental noise recommendations for the demolition, how can we trust them to enforce noise mitigations for the further site expansion?
“For that reason, I have lodged my objection, as local councillor, to the planning application.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) approached Sheffield City Council for a comment.
According to the council, a DEMP – which set out the agreed process – was submitted and approved in advance of the demolition works taking place.
The site owner also submitted a ‘Notice of Intention to Demolish’ to the council’s Building Control section on January 10, 2025, fulfilling a legal requirement.
However, the council admitted that the company had not complied with the process for communicating with them and the council did not get “final notice that the demolition was about to occur”.
The council spokesperson added: “Whilst the contractor did not communicate with the council as agreed in the DEMP, it should not be assumed that the Contractor did not comply with the requirements of the above-mentioned legislation.”
“We appreciate the situation has caused distress and we consider it to be highly regrettable.”
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