Future now bright for British Ironwork Centre after planning wrangle - owner
The owner of Oswestry's British Ironwork Centre visitor attraction has spoken of his relief after councillors ruled it could remain.
Clive Knowles admits he would have done things differently if he knew the hurdles he would have faced in the planning process.
The centre was granted retrospective permission for its base and improvements to the entrance onto the A5 at a meeting last week following a long and protracted planning dispute.
But the decision was subject to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government deciding on whether it should be called in for a public inquiry.
Mr Knowles said: "We are indescribably relieved. It has been years of literally not really knowing if we had a future.
"The longer it became protracted, the more difficult it was to paint over the appearing cracks. Enduring such a long process was exhausting, whilst simultaneously trying to maintain a very high standard.
"Obviously staff morale has been enormously affected and we do have a huge thank you to offer them as they’ve not only stuck by us, but they’ve believed in what we are trying to create."
He added: "There was so much that was positive within our existence, that to close us would have been a desperately sad day. The negative effects would on not only be on the immediate area, but the wider county and, increasingly, the country would have been very noticeable."
Mr Knowles said that the future for the centre, which attracts thousands of visitors each year was 'bright'.
"We have the ability and the self-belief to really try to become something extraordinarily special in Shropshire. There are already vacancies live and the workforce will continue to grow.
"We now hope to have the confidence of the council, the 100,000-plus members and the imagination to really try to build on our positive effect for the area and beyond. We do wish to become something of national significance, something of national pride, and I’m completely confident the trust placed in us by Shropshire Council and the planning committee will prove to be entirely worthwhile."
The most famous creation from the centre, The Knife Angel, is moving to its latest temporary home in Birmingham. Made of 100,000 knives, the angel has already been installed in Liverpool, Coventry and Hull.
