The first stage of demolition will include the phased demolition of the coal stock yard, four northern cooling towers and some of the former administrative buildings to the north of the site.

It is anticipated the site’s cooling towers will be blown down by the end of January 2024.

Developer Peel NRE, which acquired the decommissioned Fiddler’s Ferry Power Station last summer, plans to develop the vast 820-acre brownfield site in three phases over 10-15 years.

The first phase will involve four industrial buildings and service yards totalling 1.4m sq ft of floorspace, supporting around 500 construction jobs a year during the build phase.

Later phases of the project will include a new neighbourhood to the east of the former power station that could include 1,760 family homes supported by space for a new primary school, shops and a GP surgery.

PP O’Connor managing director, Peter O’Connor, said: “Fiddlers Ferry is a highly prestigious location, and we are very proud to be involved in this project. We look forward to working with Peel NRE to achieve its vision in the regeneration of this strategic site.”

He said during the peak of the project the firm would have around 120 staff and more than 50 pieces of plant and equipment on site.”