Longfield man Tony Mack is on a one man mission to save Littlebrook Power Station chimney
Published: 10:00, 29 July 2019
Updated: 14:30, 13 December 2019
A man who has been trying to save a power station for four years has said he might have to “chain himself to the chimney” if he doesn’t get support.
Tony Mack, who was one of the brains behind the creation of Gravesend’s Cyclopark, has been on a mission since 2015 to save Littlebrook Power Station.
It stopped operating four years ago and parts of it have since been demolished.
One of the last things standing is the “iconic” chimney that overlooks Dartford.
Mr Mack, from Longfield, is still campaigning to try and stop the demolition and get the station used for other things.
He previously suggested the station would make a perfect home for concerts, running tracks, indoor football, a skateboard park, and heritage and history exhibitions.
He said: “It would be an absolute travesty to get rid of the station. It’s an iconic building and when you drive past, or look across the marshes, it’s an incredible sight.
“The last resort would be that I have to chain myself to the chimney..." - Tony Mack
“If you’ve ever worked in a power station you’d understand how amazing they are.
“It’s the last one around, with Tilbury being demolished recently. I don’t understand why anyone would want to knock it down.
“If they don’t blow it up I think it would still be around in 1,000 years.”
Mr Mack, who has worked in power stations across the country but is now retired, thinks the council should get another say on the demolition in the hopes they would save it.
He is also hoping to start a petition to show how popular it is.
He added: “The last resort would be that I have to chain myself to the chimney.”
Dartford MP Gareth Johnson thinks it would “be a shame” to knock down the chimney.
He said: “I have always regarded the chimney at Littlebrook as part of Dartford’s heritage. I know not everybody shares this view but I feel it would be a shame to see it demolished.
“I have asked the developer to find a way of retaining the chimney and I hope they are able to do so.”
The power station had to cease operating in March 2015 after opting out of an EU directive which dealt with air pollutants created by the burning of fossil fuels.
Do you think the chimney should be saved? Write to us at dartford@thekmgroup.co.uk
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Sean McPolin