Plans to blow up two landmark silos at the former British Sugar site in Kidderminster have been scrapped because of concerns over safety and loss of income for the Severn Valley Railway.

Silos will now be knocked down in stages using a giant “nibbling” machine. Demolition is part of plans to develop the former site, off Stourport Road.

Investment group the Cill Dara Property Partnership, hoped blowing up the silos, which can be seen for miles, would help draw the attention of business leaders to the merits of the site.

The partnership hopes to lure firms from across the country and abroad to set up business or transfer to the site which they hope to turn into a hi-tech business park creating as many as 2,000 jobs within ten years.

Mr Burford said: “We apologise to anyone who contacted us putting forward suggestions as to who might press the plunger and who may be disappointed by this decision.”

He said it would have been necessary to close the Severn Valley Railway for at least a complete weekend and that this would not be possible as the railway was just getting over closures because of flood damage caused last year. Concrete will be crushed and reused as hardcore at the site.