PLANS have been lodged for the demolition of the Dorman Long Tower in South Bank, Redcar.

A planning application has been submitted to Redcar and Cleveland Council to tear down the historical coke works, which is a part of Teesworks.

The tower - if planning is approved - is due to be demolished from September 15.

Support has been voiced to retain the tower situated on Nelson Street, which was originally used to store coal for the coke process.

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The demolition would be a controlled explosion.

The 56 foot high concrete structure was part of the Simons Carves development which comprised a number of structures that have previously been or are in the process of being demolished by mechanical means.

There have already been objections lodged on the planning portal.

Jacob Young MP for Redcar spearheaded a campaign to save the tower.

During the campaign he said: "I want to make it clear, I am committed to the preservation of the Dorman Long Tower on the new Teesworks site, provided it is safe to do so.

"It's something that has become a defining feature of the skyline for the people of Teesside, especially Redcar & Cleveland, and it's also a very special building for me on a personal level.

"When I was an apprentice at TTE in South Bank, it was the tower that dominated the view out of my window and stood as a reminder of the many thousands of men and women who have worked in our local industry.

"Now a picture of it hangs proudly in my office in Westminster. For me it's an important reminder of my roots, of where I come from and also of all the potential Teesside has for the future - from the banks of the Tees, we built the world.

"As a board member of the South Tees Development Corporation (STDC), which has now taken ownership of the site, I plan to be a powerful voice for the preservation of an important part of our heritage.

"I have already spoken to Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen about what the tower means for our community, and I will be speaking to STDC colleagues about the next steps in assessing the viability of saving the tower."

Speaking about the application which was submitted last week, he said: "My personal opposition to the demolition is well documented, however the decision is now with the RCBC planning and I won’t comment further until then."

Ben Houchen, the Tees Valley mayor declined to comment until a decision on the application had been made.

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