Salop Music Centre and other well known Shrewsbury stores to move
Four of Shrewsbury's best known businesses will relocate when the building they occupy sells after being marketed for more than £1 million – with planning permission to build dozens of homes.
The SMC building on St Michael's Street, which houses Salop Music Centre and SMC Custom Installations among other firms, has been advertised with a price tag of £1.1 million.
Whoever buys the plot will have outline permission to build 24 residential units on the site – but won't be able to build until 12 months after the purchase to allow the current businesses to find new premises.
Permission for the development was granted in September last year and the building has now been put on the market asking for offers over £1.1 million.
SMC Custom Installations bosses have said their business will relocate within the town and they see it as an opportunity to expand the business.
Philip Brown, project manager at the firm, said: "We as a business will be staying in Shrewsbury.
"We have a minimum of a year and it gives us a genuine chance to expand.
"We are very much at the mercy of when it is sold but as a business we have experienced growth and when our hand is forced we will be able to move to a premises which is more modern and fit for purpose and with bigger showroom areas.
"It is an exciting opportunity for us."
Andy Rowley of Salop Music Centre confirmed his business would also be moving premises if the sale goes through.
Shropshire Hi-Fi and Salop Sheet Music also said that was their intention. Nobody from Salop Computer Centre could be contacted for comment.
The outline planning permission which has been granted for the site would see 20 homes built for the open market.
There would be four houses built with three bedrooms and six one bedroom flats and 10 two bedroom flats. The plans also include proposals for four social rented homes – a combination of one and two bedroom flats.
A design and access statement submitted at the time said: "The application site is located in a highly sustainable situation, being close to and within walking distance of the town centre facilities."
"Public transport – both bus and train – are close by and it adjoins one of the town's main distributor roads."
"The proposed development will enhance the appearance of the locality."
