The Local Perceptions of the Closing and Demolition of Didcot Power Station.

Abstract

Didcot is home to Didcot Power Station, of which Didcot A was closed in March 2013 and will be completely demolished by 2016. The cooling towers that make up Didcot Power Station are a local landmark and are thought of very fondly by locals, despite having been named the 3rd ugliest eyesore in Britain in 2003, with many not wanting to see them demolished. This makes Didcot different in that, what most people will call an eyesore and demand for it to be demolished, the local people of Didcot and the surrounding areas celebrates its ugliness. The following dissertation establishes the local perceptions of the closing and demolition of Didcot Power Station whilst also determining why it is the power station is seen as such a positive landmark and what the future holds for the site of the power station once it is demolished.
It achieves this by using a questionnaire as primary data collection which is circulated to the local people of Didcot and the surrounding areas. As well as this, references to secondary data are made through out, particularly when discussing the results it helps to establish reasons for data patterns.
The study finds that the local perceptions of the closing and demolition of Didcot Power Station is that of a positive when referring to economic aspects of Didcot but has a negative perception on the closing and demolition is reference to the landscape and Didcot’s identity. However, there are some limitations to this study with a limited number of responses to the questionnaire and the availability of the questionnaire possibly excluding certain groups. On the other hand, it provides an evenly weighted account for the local perceptions of the closing and demolition of Didcot Power Station and the effect this has on Didcot and the surrounding areas as a whole.