Telford and Wrekin

Telford and Wrekin is a unitary authority in the West Midlands, created in 1998 and centred on the new town of Telford. The district includes Wellington, Newport, Oakengates, Madeley and Dawley, and combines residential areas, industrial estates and service centres. Main transport links include the M54 and rail connections into Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton; the Telford International Centre and the shopping precinct at Telford Centre are key local hubs. Local government sits at Addenbrooke House in Telford, and the authority handles planning, schools and social services for the area.

The landscape ranges from urban neighbourhoods to open hill country. The Wrekin rises to 407 metres and shows earthworks from older periods, providing a local landmark. The River Severn cuts through Ironbridge Gorge, where the cast-iron bridge of 1779 spans the river and sits alongside Blists Hill Victorian Town and sites in Coalbrookdale. Those places reflect the area’s role in the early iron industry and are within the district rather than in neighbouring authorities.