£45 million Oswestry Innovation Park plan set for go-ahead

Plans for the park, to be built next to Mile End Roundabout, include a hotel and 21 business units of varying sizes, which Shropshire Council says will create a total of 1,300 jobs.

The authority’s northern planning committee will meet on Tuesday to decide the application, which seeks full planning permission for the spine road and supporting infrastructure, and outline permission for the buildings.

A report to the committee by planning officer Philip Mullineux recommends approval is be granted for the project which he says will bring “significant” economic benefits to the area.

The report says: “The proposed development provides a variety of employment generating floorspace including office space, light industrial units, distribution premises, and a hotel and restaurant.

“In relation to social and economic developments the development is considered significant for the local and regional area, providing the potential for substantial economic growth in a wide range of employment industries and thus this is a significant material planning consideration in favour of the application.”

If permission is granted, work is expected to start later this year and will be completed in 2024.

The land is allocated for employment use in the council’s current development plan, and the council’s deputy leader Steve Charmley revealed last week that talks were already well under way with businesses interested in taking on the units.

Oswestry Town Council has come out in support of the project but Oswestry Rural Parish Council objected, saying it would take away trade from established businesses in the town.

The report concludes: “It is acknowledged that this application is large and significant in scale and will have an impact on the surrounding landscape, however it is considered that with adequate mitigation as discussed in the application submission that any detrimental impacts can be adequately addressed and integrated into the surrounding landscape on this edge of builtup environment of Oswestry town with the countryside.

“The site is allocated for industrial/employment use in accordance with the local plan and it is also considered that the development will have significant economic and social benefits for the locality and wider area in which the site is located within.”

Work has already begun to construct a new secondary roundabout off Mile End which will provide access to the Innovation Park, and permission has also been granted for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the A5, linking the site to the town.