79-517: Telford Centre , previously branded as Telford Shopping Centre , is a 52-acre (210,000 m) indoor shopping centre in Telford , Shropshire, England, housing the streets North Sherwood Street, Sherwood Square, Sherwood Street, Wyre Hall, Sherwood Row, Southwater, The Border, Kielder Square, New Street, Chase Telford, Wrekin Square, New Row, Dean Street, Dean Square and Ashdown Row. The shopping centre
158-545: A UNESCO World Heritage Site . In 2008 the centre was ranked as 14th best in the country by CACI . The site for the Telford Town Centre is on 186 acres of reclaimed mine wastes, old brickworks, and the hamlet of Dark Lane. The shopping centre was opened in October 1973, and longest standing retailers in the shopping centre are Boots and F. Hinds jewellers. The largest store during the mid to late 1970's
237-604: A bar, restaurant and a takeaway unit in the Grange Central area of the Shopping Centre. In October 2012, Sovereign Land joined the partnership following the departure of Hark Group. In 2013, a £200 million expansion plan for the shopping centre was announced, which included enhanced pedestrian access to the centre with improved links to surrounding areas. The proposal was for the 1 million sq ft Telford Shopping Centre to increase in size by up to 80 percent, with
316-546: A bowling alley/arcade and a new multi-storey car park. Telford town centre lies about 16 miles (26 km) east/south-east of Shrewsbury and 20 miles (32 km) north-west of Wolverhampton . The town covers 7,803 hectares (30.13 square miles) and its southern and eastern parts, between the Severn Gorge and Donnington Wood , include the East Shropshire coalfield. North and north-west Telford lie beyond
395-775: A further 150 screens planned in the UK and Ireland by 1991. However, AMC pulled out of the joint venture in December 1988, and sold their U.K. assets, including their 12 cinemas, to the new entity for $ 98 million instead and withdrew from the UK market, with the joint venture now known as Cinema International Corp./United Artists Communications Inc. The name was shortened the following year to United Cinemas International and they were based in Manchester, England , operating 86 cinemas initially. The chain managed CIC's flagship cinemas in London,
474-586: A later purchase by Terra Firma (see below) saw the chain merged with Odeon cinemas and henceforth adopting the far plusher Odeon style. In late 2004, the European division of UCI was bought by Terra Firma Capital Partners , along with rival chain Odeon Cinemas . The majority of UK UCI and thefilmworks cinemas were rebranded to use the Odeon name. As a condition of the merger with Odeon Cinemas (imposed by
553-508: A massive £130,000 – one out of only 30 worldwide. This enabled them to download films via satellite, and also play digital media disks rather than film. Under chairman Tom McGrath , the group expanded to build and operate cinemas in Brazil, China, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan, and the UK. The cinemas were, by and large, fairly simplistic in design and seemed steeped in 1980s traditions that quickly became dated. However,
632-508: A million in the Christmas run-up. The centre is also notably busier at the weekends. The centre also feasibly draws a significant amount of trade from Shrewsbury , with the centre only being approximately 25 minutes' (approx. 15 miles (24 km)) drive up the A5 dual-carriageway / M54 motorway . Shrewsbury, being a historic town, has much more limited access to its medium-sized shopping centre,
711-557: A net increase of almost 400,000 sq ft of retail and 250,000 sq ft of restaurants, cafés, bars, and other eateries as well as a cinema and hotel. Contrary to popular belief, the Southwater area of Telford town centre, completed in 2014, was a project led and funded by Telford and Wrekin Council, and not the owners of the shopping centre. The official opening ceremony on 18 October 2014 included live music and fireworks. The area contains
790-534: A north–south artery road. The majority of bus services in the area are operated by Arriva Midlands from its garage at Stafford Park, which replaced the original Midland Red garage in Wellington. Banga Bus operate service 891 to Wolverhampton via Shifnal and Tettenhall , replacing the original service operated by Midland Red which was latterly operated by Arriva Midlands . Between 1 June 2021 and January 2022, Chaserider launched service X14 to Cannock and
869-614: A refurbished library, various chain restaurants, a Cineworld IMAX Cinema, bowling alley/arcade and a new multi-story car park. The development of a 'Northern Quarter' on the former Asda store site began in November 2015, which will be followed by a 26,500 square feet (2,460 m) 'Southern Quarter'. Development of the Northern Quarter had finished by 2018. Both B&M and Aldi opened their stores, and additional retailers including JYSK and Poundstretcher have also opened in
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#1732782552975948-479: A relatively low car ownership. In 2004 Telford & Wrekin council was awarded 'Beacon Status' for improving access to public transport. Being a new town with a planned transport infrastructure, the town features relatively few traffic problems, in comparison to the urban areas of Birmingham or medieval streets of Shrewsbury . The M54 reduces through-traffic on local roads, and the A442 Queensway acts as
1027-595: A sixth-form college located in Wellington . In September 2017 the two colleges merged to form Telford College . There are four other sixth forms located at Haberdashers' Abraham Darby , Holy Trinity Academy , Madeley Academy and Thomas Telford School . Telford is home to The University of Wolverhampton Business School (UWBS) campus and the School of the Built Environment. Harper Adams University ,
1106-567: A university specialising in land-based education is located 9.5 miles to the northeast at Edgmond , near Newport. Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC West Midlands and ITV Central . Television signals are received from the nearby Wrekin TV transmitter situated south east of Telford. Local radio stations are BBC Radio Shropshire , Hits Radio Black Country & Shropshire , Greatest Hits Radio Black Country & Shropshire and Capital North West & Wales . The Shropshire Star
1185-543: A variety of other events. The ten-screen cinema originally opened in October 1988. In 2005, the UCI Cinema was refurbished and rebranded as Odeon . This cinema is located to the west of the centre, across the underpass connecting House of Fraser to the vehicle parking areas. In 2006, the centre won the five-star 'Loo of the Year' award due to the cleanliness and access to its toilet facilities. In June 2007, USS sold
1264-663: Is The Iron Bridge , located in Ironbridge . It was the first bridge of its size in the world made out of cast iron . In the same area is the Ironbridge Gorge , a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The most important landmark in the area is The Wrekin hill. There is also the Lilleshall Monument erected on Lilleshall Hill to the north-east, to the 1st Duke of Sutherland . Telford has a number of primary and secondary schools. These range from academies such as
1343-664: Is also published by the Shropshire star. However, the building was demolished in 2023, and moved to Telford Town Centre. There have been job losses, with the movement of 500 Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) jobs at the MoD base at Sapphire House , Telford town centre, to Bristol . The sugar beet factory at Allscott closed in 2007. In 2019 a joint venture called Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land installed itself in Telford, not far from Babcock DSG . Together they are responsible for
1422-464: Is located in the geographical and economic centre of Telford, on land which was previously undeveloped. The trustees of the shopping centre are registered offshore for tax purposes. It is the largest shopping area in the ceremonial county of Shropshire , being located roughly equidistant between Shrewsbury and the West Midlands conurbation . With a floor area of 100,000 m, the centre is one of
1501-591: Is owned by National Amusements . The organization was announced in October 1988 as a joint venture between United Artists Theaters , United International Pictures (a partnership of Paramount Pictures , Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Universal Pictures ), and AMC Theatres , to operate, under the AMC brand, 200 screens in the UK and Ireland with 3 new cinemas opening in Bochum , Bremen and Cologne in West Germany and
1580-518: Is polycentric, having been designated under the New Towns Acts in 1963 and 1968 and developed between the 1960s to the 1970s . Centred on a shopping centre and a public park , the new town is named after Thomas Telford , a civil engineer on many road, canal and rail projects in the county. It was originally designated under the name Dawley New Town , Dawley being to the south of new-town's centre. As well as multiple villages and Dawley,
1659-565: Is the town's local weekly newspaper. Telford is situated at the terminus of the M54 motorway , a spur of the M6 linking the town with Wolverhampton and the West Midlands , and on the A5 road between Shrewsbury and Cannock . Telford Central railway station is situated on the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton Line . The town also has Oakengates railway station and Wellington railway station on
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#17327825529751738-519: The A5 , A518 and A442 , which is commonly known as the Eastern Primary or EP , and is officially branded Queensway . Many of the new town's residents were originally from the West Midlands conurbation , which includes Wolverhampton , Birmingham, Dudley and Walsall . A majority of the council house tenants in Telford were rehoused from inner-city Birmingham. The rehousing affected existing communities, who were sometimes resentful of
1817-852: The Challenger 2 Life Extension Project . Aqueduct, Brookside, Dawley Bank, Doseley, Hollinswood, Heath Hill, Horsehay , Lawley, Lawley Bank, Lightmoor, Little Dawley, Malinslee, Newdale, Old Park, Overdale, Randlay, Stirchley, Sutton Hill, The Rock, Tweedale, Woodside. Arleston, Donnington, Donnington Wood, Hadley, Hartshill, Haybridge, Ketley , Ketley Bank, Ketleybrook, Ketleyhill, Leegomery, Muxton, Priorslee , Priorslee Village, Red Lake, Snedshill, St Georges, Trench, Trench Lock, Wombridge, Wrockwardine Wood. Blists Hill , Coalbrookdale , Coalport , Dawley , Ironbridge , Jackfield , Madeley , Newport , Oakengates , Wellington , Admaston , Bratton , Dothill and Shawbirch . Hadley Castle, Halesfield, Hortonwood, Stafford Park The commercial centre of
1896-588: The Darwin Shopping Centre , and car parking charges are significantly higher than in Telford. From the east the area is best reached via junction 5 of the M54 motorway and from the west via the A5, which leads onto the M54. Telford Central railway station is within walking distance. Regular bus services run to Shrewsbury , Newport , Stafford and Wolverhampton . Car parking charges were introduced to
1975-620: The Empire, Leicester Square and the Plaza, however, these were still owned by CIC. In the UK, the company operated cinemas under the UCI and (later) thefilmworks brands, and initially enjoyed a sizeable market share. They took over the first multiplex cinema opened in the UK by AMC at The Point in Milton Keynes in 1985, and were one of the first to purchase a digital projector – costing
2054-512: The McArthur Glenn West Midlands Designer Outlet. but was withdrawn due to low usage. A number of council contract services operate under the 'Travel Telford' brand, including Arriva Midlands service 99, Chaserider services 100, 102, 103 and 104 and Select Bus service 101. These were introduced to link local employment opportunities, schools and villages previously without bus services. Notably
2133-627: The Office of Fair Trading ), UCI Clydebank, UCI Poole, UCI Sutton, UCI Basildon, The Empire Leicester Square and thefilmworks High Wycombe were sold to Empire Cinemas . Since the merger has been completed, few elements of former UCI cinemas still retain the UCI look and feel, they now almost all share the standard Odeon design cues, except for a handful of the former "Filmworks" brand whose designs did not lend themselves well to an Odeon "look". The UCI, UCI/Kinowelt and Cinesa brands will remain in Ireland and
2212-612: The Reform UK party. The current MP since the election is Shaun Davies (Labour). Some suburbs, such as Wellington, are located in The Wrekin , which also has varying support between the Conservatives and Labour. Conservative Mark Pritchard was reelected as the latter seat's MP in 2024, and has now held the seat continuously since 2005. Telford is administratively part of the West Midlands region . In 1963 Dawley new town
2291-665: The Telford Langley School to City Technology Colleges like the Thomas Telford School . 8 miles (13 km) to the north are Adams' Grammar School and Newport Girls High School selective schools located in nearby Newport . Wrekin College , an independent co-educational boarding and day school, is located in the Wellington area of Telford. Further education was handled by Telford College of Arts and Technology (TCAT) and Telford New College ,
2370-524: The 100 (nicknamed 'Express 100') runs seven days a week and on evenings. United Cinemas International UCI Cinemas ( United Cinemas International ) is a brand of cinema, currently operating in Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Brazil, which has been owned since 2004 by Odeon Cinemas Group , whose owner is now AMC Theatres , except for the UCI Cinemas Brazil which also from the same year
2449-414: The 2011 census, the town had a population of 142,723 while in 2017, the wider borough had an estimated population of 175,271. It is the most populous settlement in Shropshire, Shrewsbury is second and is 15 miles (24 km) to the west of the town. It is near Staffordshire : Stafford is 21 miles (34 km) to the east and Stoke-on-Trent is 25 miles (40 km) north east from the town. The town
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2528-461: The American company Unimation and three firms from Japan: Nikon UK Ltd., which opened a warehouse at Halesfield in 1983; video-tape manufacturers Hitachi Maxell at Apley Castle in 1983; and office equipment manufacturers Ricoh , who took a 22-acre (89,000 m ) site for a factory at Priorslee next to the M54 , and formed the first in Telford's new enterprise zone. Consequently, from
2607-636: The Dawley New Town Development Corporation, with the first homes on the new Sutton Hill housing estate being occupied in 1967. Initial planning and design concepts for Dawley New Town were produced by the Birmingham-based John Madin Design Group . The Minister proposed an extension of 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) in 1968 (taking in the historic area of Ironbridge Gorge ). The Dawley New Town (Designation) Amendment (Telford) Order
2686-469: The Ice Rink from the local council to a private operator and move it into an extension of the centre. The construction of a new Asda supermarket outside the centre into a new building just outside the circular walkway is under way despite the proposed move of Asda being resisted by Hark & Apollo. On 11 March 2008 it was announced, as part of Hark & Apollo's plan to revitalise town centre trade, that
2765-509: The MOD contract from the Euston Park site, as well as a vast array of clients across the world from the Plaza building. Also Capgemini and Fujitsu employ a significant number of staff in the area, mainly supporting their governmental client, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) . The expansion in these job sectors provided a great asset to Telford's economic recovery after 1992. By August 2007,
2844-476: The Northern Quarter. As part of a £55 million redevelopment, the centre saw a redevelopment of the Fashion Quarter and improvements to existing parts such as new lighting and signage. Part of the redevelopment was moving the existing Next store within the centre to a new 30,000sq ft store which opened on 14 September 2019. New Look opened its 16,000sq ft store on 26 September. A rebrand of the branding of
2923-610: The Odeon logo font in many cases. In August 2007, UCI launched a new Irish website with an identical layout to odeon.co.uk. The Irish cinemas were sold to an Irish group, Entertainment Enterprises, in September 2006, but continued to be run by Odeon under a management contract. In April 2008, Entertainment Enterprises announced that it would be acquiring the Storm Cinemas chain except the Belfast cinema, and would be contracting
3002-529: The US, Europe, and Japan . The foreign firms required larger factories, and they began to be built at Stafford Park. By 1983 over 2,000 jobs in Telford were provided by around 40 (mostly American) foreign companies. In contrast to industry in the Black Country at the time, these new companies focused on high-technology industries rather than the heavy and metal-finishing industries. The new arrivals included
3081-465: The anchor stores would stay open until 8 pm, as opposed to 6 pm. The supermarket Asda also extended opening times until 10 pm. Construction began on the triple-size extension to the Primark store in November 2008, which was finished by summer of 2009. In 2010, there were further developments from a leisure perspective adjacent to JD Wetherspoon , consisting of a nightclub named 'Crush',
3160-577: The biggest in Brazil, in general, is the New York City Center cinema in Rio de Janeiro, with 18 screens, including IMAX , 4DX , De Lux and XPlus screens. They also have SuperSeats and SuperD seats in select auditoriums throughout Brazil. Irish cinemas, although retaining the UCI name, were managed as part of Odeon Cinemas and introduced parts of their offer, such as Premier seating and the Odeon in-house magazine, "Onscreen". Advertising contained
3239-760: The blue office towers ( Telford Plaza ), and the Windsor Life building. The Forge retail park and a large Odeon Cinema are also located in the area. Telford also houses one of the Midlands' few ice skating rinks near the Telford International Centre (TIC). The TIC comprises a number of exhibition halls and event spaces. It holds parties, conferences, concerts and was formerly the venue of the UK Snooker Championship. A major Shropshire landmark, also now part of Telford,
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3318-410: The border with the unitary Shropshire Council (before the latter's creation in 2009 the borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham ). Within the borough of Telford & Wrekin , the town is entirely parished . Telford has no single town council because of this. The town is also divided into Wards, within the Telford and Wrekin borough. These are used for electoral purposes and demographic surveys. Telford
3397-477: The car parks surrounding the shopping centre in 2004. The centre has large car parks, providing approximately 4,000 parking spaces. It is estimated that almost 90% of shoppers in the centre arrive by car. Telford Telford ( / ˈ t ɛ l f ər d / ) is a town in Shropshire , England. It is the administrative centre of Telford and Wrekin borough , a unitary authority which covers
3476-520: The centre had approximately 180. This growth can be attributed to the addition of an area known as the 'New Row Mall', which opened in September 2004. This 14,000sqm extension to the west end of the centre added the 7,400sqm anchor store Beatties , which was later taken over by House of Fraser in August 2007, and then Frasers & Sports Direct in May 2023 (Frasers) and September 2023 (Sports Direct), with
3555-507: The centre include Frasers , Sports Direct , Primark and Marks and Spencer . Other notable stores include Boots , H&M , New Look and Next . Sherwood Square in Telford Shopping Centre is host to the "Telford Time Machine", a large animated feature clock spanning most of the width of the square. This square often plays host to small exhibitions, mini-markets, Santa's Grotto , a children's plastic " ice rink " and
3634-430: The centre was also implemented alongside the completion of the expansion, with a new term and the shopping centre renamed to Telford Centre. There has been some controversy amongst traders and other local people in other parts of Telford, such as Wellington , Oakengates , Madeley and Dawley about the impact of the centre on local traders. In a typical week, the centre has around 300,000 visitors, rising to over half
3713-435: The changes. As a result some individuals still refuse to put Telford in their address, instead using the original local name (such as Wellington or Dawley) and often citing the existence of town Councils as support for the argument "you can't live in a town in a town”, e.g. Wellington (Town) Telford (Town). The new town's residents who arrived in the 1960s and 1970s earned the unwanted nickname 'overspill' from people living in
3792-666: The coalfield's boundary fault on sandstone beds which, along with other Triassic formations, prevail over much of the North Shropshire plain. The town centre stands on a watershed, with land to the south draining towards the River Severn and to the north sloping gently down towards the Weald Moors. The town is dominated by the Wrekin , a large hill of 407 m (1335 ft), south-west of Wellington, straddling
3871-418: The end of the decade, only for it to rise to a similarly high figure again by 1992 as a result of the early 1990s recession . In recent years the local economy has matured, the median gross weekly earnings for full-time workers who work in Telford and Wrekin was £563 in 2019 (West Midlands £552.50 and England £591.40 ). Telford has attracted several large IT services companies, including EDS who support
3950-461: The evening there was no nightlife at all in the area, the only major local entertainment areas being in Oakengates and Wellington. The first phase of the town-centre development, named Southwater, was completed in 2014. The official opening ceremony, on 18 October 2014, included live music and fireworks. The area includes a refurbished library, various chain restaurants, Cineworld IMAX Cinema,
4029-475: The existing standalone Sports Direct store in the shopping centre, (located in the former JJB Sports unit), closing permanently. Since Beatties opened on 5 September 2003, car park use has increased on average by between 10 and 12 percent. Other notable stores were added to New Row Mall at this time, including Zara , Costa Coffee and River Island . Zara permanently closed in January of 2024. Current anchors of
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#17327825529754108-416: The existing towns and villages. In 2007 a £250 million regeneration plan for the town centre was announced, which includes the pedestrianisation of the road surrounding the shopping centre and the creation of new cafés, bars and shops which would lead to 1,750 new jobs. The reason for the expansion is that the original 'centre' was only ever a shopping place with no real heart. As the 'centre' closed early in
4187-546: The later 1970s, Telford began to attract high-technology firms and to diversify its industry, and the promotion of the Service industry also began to prosper, in the Telford Town Centre area. However, a deepening national recession meant that, despite the creation of new jobs, there were net job losses from 1979. Unemployment grew from 3.4 per cent in 1969 to over 8 per cent in 1972 and 22.3 per cent (almost double
4266-522: The level of statutorily homeless households in 2004/05 was above average for England. The Telford and Wrekin area is a popular commuter zone, containing some relatively rural areas in the North and West of the borough. These are popular with commuters to the West Midlands conurbation , due to the good transport links provided by the A5 / M54 . In 2011, the town was 91.9% white (88.5% White British), 4.7% Asian, 1.2% Black, 1.9% Mixed race and 0.2% other. At
4345-469: The lowering of wages for those working in the local coal industry. The protests resulted in the deaths of three striking colliers. The New Town was first designated on 16 January 1963 by the Conservative administration as Dawley New Town , covering 9,100 acres (37 km ) of Dawley , Wenlock , Oakengates , Wellington Rural District and Shifnal Rural District . Development started, guided by
4424-480: The management of the cinemas to Odeon. UCI's Tallaght cinema, the first opened in the country, was closed on 8 March 2010 after the landlords gave the company notice that their lease would not be renewed. On 31 May 2011, Odeon announced that it had bought back the UCI chain in Ireland (including the Storm Cinemas-branded locations) from Entertainment Enterprises. Irish cinemas were rebranded under
4503-418: The national average) in 1983; long-term unemployment rose even faster. Nevertheless, the rate of increase in unemployment was slowing down by 1983 and was making some progress against national and regional trends. Unemployment in Telford was still around the 20% mark – nearly double the national average at the time – as late as 1986. The Lawson Boom of the next three years saw that figure fall dramatically by
4582-551: The other constituent towns are Wellington , Madeley and Oakengates . Early settlement in the area was thought to be on the land that sloped up from the Weald Moors (an area north of the town centre) towards the line along which the Roman Watling Street was built. Farmland surrounded three large estates in the 10th century, namely Wellington , Wrockwardine and Lilleshall . From the 13th century there
4661-425: The rest of Europe. UCI Hull was evicted at around this time due to redevelopment. As there was already an Odeon there, it was not replaced. UCI's Brazilian branch was acquired, also in 2004, by American conglomerate National Amusements , who also owns the Showcase Cinemas chain. Coca-Cola beverages sold in those cinemas were replaced by Pepsi , coincidentally Showcase's beverages. Their biggest cinema in Brazil and
4740-412: The same census the population of the town was 142,723 and had an area of 46.2 kilometers with the population estimated to be 147,105 in 2016. During the economic crisis of the late 1960s (with unemployment doubling nationally during the second half of the decade), unemployment in the then-new town was initially high. However, in 1967 Halesfield Industrial Estate was founded on the south-eastern edge of
4819-486: The same line. All three stations are serviced by trains from Transport for Wales Rail , West Midlands Railway , and Avanti West Coast . In May 1998, Virgin Trains West Coast introduced a service from Shrewsbury to London Euston . It was withdrawn in 2000. A service to Walsall was introduced from Wellington via Wolverhampton but proved to be unprofitable and was withdrawn by London Midland in December 2008. A new service from Wrexham General to London Marylebone
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#17327825529754898-455: The shopping centre to Hark Group and Apollo Real Estate (collectively Hark & Apollo) for £442 million. An extension for the Primark store took place in 2009, which involved an extension equal to three times the previous retail area of that store. The number of parking bays increased to approximately 4,000 spaces, and new bus stops were located around The Round walkway. There were also plans, that have since been shelved to transfer control of
4977-410: The south such as a part of Ironbridge and Broseley , while part of the Telford Urban Area, are administered by Shropshire Council . Telford is the only settlement within the Telford parliamentary constituency , which was held by Labour from its creation in 1997 until the 2015 general election . It was then held by Lucy Allen who stood down ahead of the 2024 general election after defecting to
5056-407: The success story of Telford's economy had seen unemployment shrink to 3.3% – a fraction of its peak 15 years earlier. However, the subsequent recession meant that unemployment in the area had risen to 5% by February 2011, although this was still well below the national average. The Shropshire Star evening newspaper was based in Ketley. There is a free local paper the Telford Journal which
5135-407: The then Wrekin District Council. Telford was now 25 years old and was firmly established as one of the most important towns in the region. There is a Retail Park called Wrekin Retail Park in Wellington. In 1983, after fierce opposition and three public enquiries, the M54 motorway was completed, connecting the town to the M6 and thence the rest of the UK's motorway network. Other major roads are
5214-407: The time were Dawelloak and Wrekin Forest City. Most of the infrastructure was constructed from the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, with the major housing and commercial development occurring over three decades up to the early 1990s when the Development Corporation was wound up to be replaced by the Commission for New Towns , later English Partnerships, and most of the property was handed over to
5293-429: The town is Telford Town Centre, located off Junction 5 of the M54 motorway , completed in the 1980s. It is home to the administrative headquarters of Telford & Wrekin Council, which are now based at Addenbrook House on Ironmasters Way, after moving from the old Civic Offices (dating from the mid-1970s) in December 2012. The large Telford Shopping Centre (and the accompanying Town Park ), various office blocks, such as
5372-419: The town itself, are internationally recognised as being "The Birthplace of Industry" being to a large extent constructed during the Industrial Revolution on the Shropshire Coalfield. The M54 motorway was completed in 1983, improving the town's road links with the West Midlands conurbation , Wolverhampton is 19 miles (31 km) south east and Birmingham is 28 miles (45 km) in the same direction. In
5451-499: The town – the first real answer to Telford's unemployment problems. Other large estates followed, in 1973 with Stafford Park just east of the town centre and in 1979 with Hortonwood , to the north, helping ease the unemployment crisis in a decade which saw an almost unbroken rise in unemployment. In total, half a million square metres of factory space were provided between 1968 and 1983, making Telford an attractive investment area. By 1976, Telford had begun to recruit industry from
5530-411: The town, its suburbs and surrounding settlements. The town is close to the county's eastern boundary, and near the River Severn . The notable hill near the town called The Wrekin is part of the Shropshire Hills , an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . To the south of the town is the Ironbridge Gorge , a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Places around the Ironbridge Gorge area, which were developed into
5609-466: The twenty five largest in the country , and has an average footfall of 300,000 per week, equating to 15 million per annum. The centre is located on a 50-acre (200,000 m) site, containing over 175 stores. The term Telford Town Centre is often used to refer to the shopping centre alone, but the town centre also encompasses the town park and surrounding areas of central Telford. The centre's former logo features The Iron Bridge , of nearby Ironbridge ,
5688-589: The winding up of the development corporation. The centre came under larger development when it was purchased by the Universities Superannuation Scheme group in 1990. Thenceforth, a refurbishment program was undertaken, including the addition of large roof windows, which admitted more light into the centre. USS also created the Sherwood Square area and added the popular Frog Clock. By 2001 the centre had 160 stores. By 2006,
5767-570: Was 147,980 according to the 2011 census . At the 2001 census, the urban area had 138,241 people. The built-up area includes Broseley which lies outside the Borough of Telford and Wrekin and also includes the towns of Dawley , Oakengates , Wellington and Madeley . Telford has a younger than average population, and a higher rate of teenage pregnancy than the national average, as well as relatively high levels of income deprivation with 15% of residents living in low income households. In addition
5846-424: Was created politically – but its attempts to make a cohesive town from the fusion of other independent towns: Wellington , Madeley , Hadley , Oakengates , Dawley , Ironbridge and Donnington have largely been successful. Despite this, the town has much clearer divisions than in other older towns, such as nearby Shrewsbury, which have developed into one consolidated urban area over time. Some small settlements to
5925-409: Was intended to take 50,000 people from the West Midlands conurbation and so to grow to a town of 70,000 or more. By 1968 Telford was intended to take an additional 50,000 and grow to a town of 220,000 or more by 1991. By 1983, however, Telford's population was just under 108,000, and it was generally thought that it might not reach 120,000 by the late 1980s. The population of Telford's built-up area
6004-595: Was launched by Wrexham & Shropshire in 2008. The venture however proved unprofitable and ceased to operate on 28 January 2011, leaving Shropshire as the only English county without a direct train link to London. Virgin Trains re-launched a direct Shrewsbury to London Euston service in December 2014. In addition, there are three further stations isolated from the national network, Spring Village, Lawley and Horsehay & Dawley, at Telford Steam Railway , situated at Horsehay . Telford's rapidly growing population still has
6083-519: Was made on 29 November 1968, extending the New Town area by 10,143 acres (4,105 ha) of "land lying within the urban districts of Oakengates and Wellington and the rural districts of Shifnal and Wellington". The Order also renamed the new town Telford, after the Scottish-born civil engineer Thomas Telford , who in 1787 became Surveyor of Public Works for Shropshire. Other suggested names at
6162-507: Was the Phase 1 Carrefour supermarket. It was expanded in 1981 to include extra shopping areas – Phase 2 was officially opened by HM The Queen in late November 1981. Phase 3 of the shopping centre opened in 1987 with Marks & Spencer coming to the centre. Telford Development Corporation decided to sell the shopping centre in June 1989 with an asking price in excess of £80 million as part of
6241-433: Was urban development in Wellington and Madeley , where Wenlock Priory founded a new town. Six monastic houses, founded in the 11th and 12th centuries, had large interests in the area's economic growth. They collectively acquired almost half of the area and profited from coal and ironstone mines and iron smithies on their estates. The area was the site of the 1821 Cinderloo Uprising , which saw 3,000 people protest against
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