Where did all the justice go? Industrial Heritage in the Green Economy and the case of the Dorman Long Tower

In the context of mass deindustrialisation in the UK, the historical construction of industrial places has led to deeply embedded socio-economic and cultural identities being confronted by narratives of economic ruination. Yet, in so called ‘post-industrial’ regions, the industrial past continues to exert influence on place-based identities by way of collective memory. With political discourse designating such areas as left behind and in need of levelling up, these ‘post-industrial’ regions have emerged as key sites for green economic development. This paper explores the intersection between industrial pasts and green industrial futures by exploring the fate of an industrial landmark, the Dorman Long Tower, in Teesside in the North East of England. An old coal bunker symbolising the region’s historic connection to coal-powered steel production, the building was awarded emergency listed status to prevent its imminent demolition. However, the listing was quickly revoked by central government on the basis that it remaining would hinder the brownfield site’s ability to attract private investment thus provide the green jobs of the future. Using oral history interviews, findings suggest that under the dual pressures of long-term deindustrialisation and the need to transition to a decarbonised economy, narratives around green futures have the potential to alienate local communities if collective histories are not perceived to be adequately acknowledged. Both the preservation of industrial heritage and new green industry was perceived to be desirable, with participants seeing no such binary framework. Without adequate consultation, public buy-in to new green industry is not guaranteed especially in ‘post-industrial’ region’s such as Teesside where historic unjust economic transition has left communities sceptical towards government intervention.

Keywords: Teesside, Dorman Long Tower, Deindustrialisation, Decarbonisation, Industrial Collective Memory