Developers working on building the new Coronation Street at Trafford Wharf may have to disable World War Two bombs before they start to build.
Television bosses have applied for planning permission for the new Granada studios at MediaCity, next to the Imperial War Museum North. As part of the move from Manchester city centre, Coronation Street will be rebuilt.
But, a report submitted to Trafford Council as part of the application shows that the former docklands area, where the new studios will be is considered a 'high' bomb risk.
The site where Granada will go is regarded as 'low to moderate' because it has been used almost continuously since the war, so any unexploded devices would have already been found.
The area around Salford Quays was heavily targeted by German bombers during the blitz in World War II. It is thought there maybe many unexploded bombs in the area.
As a result, a survey by geophysics company Zetica estimates that there are around 85 high-explosive bombs buried in the Salford Quays area – 40 on the Salford side, and 45 in Stretford.
The risk from the bombs can still be quite high - they often entered the ground unnoticed at high speed and penetrated to a depth of several metres. They could be disturbed by construction work and cause significant damage,
Mike Sainsbury, from Zetica, said: “We would advise the developers to undertake a detailed desk study on the history of the site during both world wars and if necessary, call in a company like ours. We can do various probes to find out if there are any bombs in the area.”
The MEN can also reveal other details about the new Coronation Street.
An external set dubbed the 'lot' will be an exact replica of Weatherfield including the Rover's Return and the now infamous tram line built on a larger scale.
An ITV spokesman explained: "The buildings will be bigger to equip the set for HD televisions and other broadcasting developments."
The future of the current Quays Street set is still being debated. The M.E.N has previously revealed Manchester Museum of Science and Industry is in talks with Granada about the possibility of getting hold of the soap's original cobbled streets but ITV declined to comment further on this proposal.
Around 170 people will work on the new Trafford site, which will be open 24 hours a day.The five studios and 400-space car park will be closed off but a waterside facing Salford Quays will be open to the public.
Cast members will also be encouraged to cycle or use public transport to get to work instead of driving. The show's new green credentials will be backed up plans to generate electricity from solar panels on the roof of the building.
The rest of ITV Granada's staff will move to offices on the Salford side of the MediaCityUK development in 2012.
ITV Granada has applied with Peel Media for full planning permission. Interested parties have until January 7 to send their comments to Trafford Council.
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ooooohhhh an explosive start to the street ahead hehehehe
After reading the story in full shouldn't the headline be -
'Revealed: no World War Two bomb threat at new home of Coronation Street'?
PS. I look forward to seeing a picture of Betty Driver going to work on her bike.
They should have left them in situ, it would have made a good storyline when they exploded
An Allied WW2 bomb hit a German town back in the 1940s and failed to explode. 60 odd years later, it was dug up this summer whilst construction work was taking place for a new sports hall. Three bomb disposal experts started working on defusing the device, but the bomb exploded killing all three. The hidden legacy of these bombs can never be underestimated.
no1 shed, 8 Dock 1/8 to old dock workers used to have a 6 foot by 6 foot concrete base marked UXB inscribed into the concrete.It was still there when the shed were demolished.
What public transport as no buses run down Trafford Wharf Road when I worked there. And even now there are no buses to Trafford Park in the evenings except the bus to the Trafford Centre.
Surely Ken Barlow was available for a comment?
How about ending this boring programme that simply wastes air time!
I can't see them getting on a tram after what happened over Christmas.
I know this is nothing to do with the world war two bombs, but can someone explain where ex lag Tracey Barlow is getting all her oney from when she has only just come out of nick?
Ahh blow it out the ole wazzoo!
Type your comment here...This article reminded me of a tale I was told as a child. My Grand father who lived in Ariel st during WW2 had a top secrect job, which was to spray water over waste land, which is now the Wimpey site. The idea being that enemy planes saw the reflection of water and dropped the bombs there before they reached the docks. Wonder if antone else heard of this happening ? It sounds sensible enough to have happened, but maybe bombs could have been dropped in a wider area than thought.
"may have to" does this mean they dont need to if they dont want to,?