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Clearance and Demolition
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4.1 The Ashington Reclamation Scheme
4.1.1 - The Ashington Reclamation Scheme was introduced in 1974. The aims of the scheme included the reclamation of one square mile of dereliction associated
with the former Ashington and Woodhorn collieries. It was intended to provide new woodland, farmland and parkland, an amenity lake, a museum/crafts centre,
hotel and business park. The reclamation of the former Woodhorn Colliery embraced the pithead complex, spoil heaps and associated despoiled land and involved
a number of phases of demolition and landscaping between 1974 and 1985. For the purposes of reclamation the site was divided up into zones, identified in
contemporary documents as areas A to H, S4 and Pit Heap (see Figure 6).
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Figure 6: Woodhorn Colliery Clearance and Demolition (click to enlarge)
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4.1.2 - The bills for the reclamation of each zone provide information on the precise reclamation strategy for each area, and therefore for the prospects of
modern below-ground survival. While the details differ, the overall picture is consistently that all foundations and hard surfacings were to be broken up, and
therefore that the prospects for meaningful stratigraphic survival within these areas is poor.
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4.2 Details of Ashington Reclamation Scheme Bills
4.2.1 - Area A
- Break up the foundations of former colliery buildings.
- Spread of topsoil to an average depth of 150mm.
4.2.2 - Area B
- Break up the foundations of former colliery buildings.
- Spread of subsoil to an average depth of 150mm.
- Spread of topsoil to an average depth of 150mm.
4.2.3 - Area C
- Break up the foundations of former colliery buildings and hard surfacing.
- Spread of topsoil to an average depth of 150mm.
4.2.4 - Area D
- Break up the foundations of former colliery buildings and hard surfacing.
- Spread of subsoil to an average depth of 150mm.
- Spread of topsoil to an average depth of 150mm.
4.2.5 - Area E
- Break up the foundations of former colliery buildings, road surfacing, car park area, footpath and concrete bases etc.
- Spread of topsoil to an average depth of 150mm.
4.2.6 - Area F
- Break up the foundations of former colliery buildings, road surfacing, car park area, footpath and concrete bases etc.
- Excavate in any material to an average depth of 1.5m not exceeding 2.0m. Store in dumps.
- Material removed from Area A, B, C, D and E placed to form base of mounds.
- Spread of topsoil to an average depth of 150mm.
4.2.7 - Area G
- Material removed from Area A, B, C, D and E placed to form base of mounds.
- Spread of topsoil to an average depth of 150mm.
4.2.8 - Area H
- Excavate in any material to an average depth of 1.2m not exceeding 1.5m. Store in dumps.
- Dumps of material removed from Area A and B.
- Spread of subsoil to an average depth of 150mm.
- Spread of topsoil to an average depth of 150mm.
4.2.9 - Area S4(also referred to as Land Adjacent to Woodhorn Colliery)
- Strip subsoil 600mm thick.
- Rip up all concrete foundations and dispose of by burying to a depth of at least 1.0m below the proposed level.
4.2.10 Pit Heap(also referred to as Land Adjacent to Woodhorn Colliery)
- Excavate into the colliery shale and all other waste heap material whatsoever of the Woodhorn heaps, load, transport and fill to levels forming the required contours over site.
- Rip up all concrete foundations and dispose of by burying to a depth of at least 1.0m below the proposed level.
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