Business park expansion approved

Shropshire Council has been given planning permission to add four new industrial units to the Bishop’s Castle Business Park in an effort to attract new investment in the town.

The plans were approved by the newly-formed Southern Planning Committee on Tuesday.

Councillor Ruth Houghton, Lib Dem councillor for Bishop’s Castle, said: “I am speaking in favour of this.

“Businesses in the town tell me they are waiting to expand. It will help them and it will help smaller start-up businesses who are looking for somewhere.

“It will develop jobs, create jobs and secure jobs so I am happy with it. The whole town is in favour of it.”

Councillor David Turner, deputy chairman of the committee, added: “I am very familiar with the site and I am very happy with the plans and I vote that we approve it.”

Councillor Simon Harris added: “This has been greatly received and this planning committee should welcome it.

“It’s adding value to the area and creating and keeping jobs.”

In the application, the council said: “The business park has been partially developed in a piecemeal fashion to provide owner-occupier industrial accommodation for local businesses including a building supplier and veterinary surgery.

“There are allotments to the north-west, a lane to the north-east which leads to a sewage treatment works to the south-east and to the south-west derelict building which was a children’s nursery.

“The proposed business units will occupy the undeveloped and unserviced land to the north of Bishop’ Castle Business Park which extends to approximately 1.61 hectares.

“The economy of Bishops Castle requires support to ensure that the businesses already in the town can have the opportunity to expand and grow and to ensure the future vibrancy of the community.

“If the development does not take place, the consequences could be that the businesses relocate to areas that can provide the expansion land they need, forcing employees to either commute, creating the potential of a dormitory town, or the employees will relocate with their jobs.

“Both scenarios will be detrimental to the future sustainability and viability of an active market town.”

Heather Owen, planning case officer, added: “The parcel of land subject to this application is a site allocated within the SAMDev settlement policy for Bishops Castle as the most sustainable location for new employment development.

“In principle as such the use of this site for development to provide accommodation for Class B uses is acceptable.”