WORK to remove one of the region’s most famous industrial landmarks has been held up by red tape.

Last August, the Welsh Assembly Government overturned on appeal a decision by Wrexham Council to prevent the removal of tonnes of burnt shale at the former Bersham Bank Colliery site in Rhostyllen.

That gave the company involved, West Midlands-based Bersham (Glenside) Ltd (BGL), the green light to clear much of the site, which overlooks the A483 Wrexham Bypass.

Up to six million tonnes of spoil could be sold on to the construction industry and will take between seven and nine years to remove.

Back in August BGL’s technical director Mike Killett said that work on the multi-million-pound project could begin in three months.

But, up to now, the earth movers have not worked on site.

Mr Killett said: “Work has not yet started because we have got a lot of pre-start planning conditions to satisfy, such as landscape and ecology details.

“We are currently working on these and the results will then be submitted to Wrexham’s planning department, so we are still waiting for clearance.

“This sort of thing is not uncommon with major projects.”

He added: “It is a tad frustrating but this is a major scheme and all the boxes have got to be ticked.

“We had hoped to start before the bird nesting season on March 1 but that is not now likely to happen.

“I can’t say at the moment when the work will start but we hope it will be as soon as possible.

“We have been on site doing advance survey work. We have also been talking regularly to people living close to the site and we will continue to keep them informed.”

The scheme will first see the removal of waste on the southern part of the site.

BGL is paying towards the cost of refurbishing the Grade II listed former winding house for the colliery, which closed in 1986 with the loss of 300 jobs.

The company will retain part of the tip near this building.

Also to be preserved is the tip headgear along with the building housing the baths, canteen and offices, which is also Grade II listed.