600 new jobs hope as firm looks to buy business park

A £3.7 million business park in Market Drayton which has stood empty for almost 18 months could be snapped up by an investor, creating up to 600 jobs.

A company has expressed interest in phase two of the Tern Valley Business Park, but the name of the firm is being kept under wraps.

Shropshire Council had planned to sell off the available units at the 13.5-acre site next to the Muller factory individually, but it is now hoped the whole site will be sold off.

Mark Pembleton, service manager for business and enterprise at Shropshire Council, said the negotiations were ongoing.

He said: "We have someone who is making an offer to develop the park with office and industrial units.

"We are looking at hopefully creating up to 600 jobs at the park. We want to have as many jobs as possible and get quality jobs; large scale storage units don't create that.

"It is good news there is some interest in the park because we have been advertising it for about 18 months.

"We have to explore it a lot further, we will see what comes of it."

Mr Pembleton refused to be drawn on which company was interested and what the plans would be for the area because negotiations are still at an early stage.

It sparked an urgent meeting with the Market Drayton Community Partnership group this week, who were told the developer 'knows the area well'.