Plan to restore Gobowen Train Station building
An application has been submitted to change a listed railway station building into shops and financial service offices.
Units at Gobowen Train Station have been vacant for many years.
The Oswestry Station Building Trust has submitted an application for change of use and to make alterations to the grade-two listed building.
As part of the project the station office and nearby pharmacy would remain untouched, with the work taking place on the opposite side of the tracks near a new housing development.
The changes would allow the units on in the vacant building to be given a new lease of life.
The first phase would be to tackle severe damp in the building while stage two would see minor internal alterations.
When funds are available, stage three would centre around replacing cement rendering and other external repairs.
The buildings were bought by Gobowen Area Improvement Group after being in private ownership for many years.
The trust is acting as the facilitator of the work and is the owner and financial partner in the management of the project.
There were fears the buildings could be sold at auction, but intervention by Selattyn and Gobowen Parish Council opened a path for the buildings to be secured for the community.
At the time Sheila Dee, community rail officer for the Chester Shrewsbury Rail Partnership and a member of the group, said: “This acquisition provides the foundation for an ambitious project to see the historic station returned to its former glory while also providing a connecting rail service to Oswestry with intermediate stations at the Orthopaedic Hospital and tourism venues.
“The development will also considerably enhance the employment opportunities within the local area, particularly in tourism and engineering within the railway spectrum of the project.”
