Market site plan backed
A multi-million pound livestock market for farmers across Shropshire and Mid Wales is set to be approved. The development at Welshpool will have 1,086 covered stock pens, 29 stock docks, a cafe, weighbridges, offices and two auction rings.
The plans for the site at the junction of the A483 and A458 have been earmarked for approval when they go before planning chiefs on Friday.
The market would be served by 325 trailer bays, six HGV bays and 44 car spaces. A two-storey, three-bedroom stockman security house would be built on the site to maintain security.
The planned development has been welcomed by the bosses of Welshpool's current livestock market, who said the new facility would service the requirements of customers throughout Wales and the border counties, including Shropshire.
John Jones, a senior partner at Welshpool Livestock Sales, said: "We are looking forward to providing a modern, state-of-the-art livestock market on the edge of Welshpool, with the capacity to hold about 14,000 sheep and 1,400 cattle.
"It will all be under one roof, totally covered so the livestock will not be subject to the elements. It will be a definite boost to the region and I'm very much looking forward to it."
County council planning officers have recommended that the plan should be approved when the Montgomeryshire planning sub-committee meets later this week.
Planning officer Godfrey Lee said: "It has long been recognised that, as EU legislation relating to animal welfare progresses, as traffic volumes on our roads increase, and as developmental pressure increases on land in our urban areas, the location of the existing Welshpool market has become unsustainable.
"The new proposal seeks to develop a substantial facility, still associated with Welshpool, that can meet any current and anticipated usage demands and EU regulatory regimes. There is no apparent alternative."
He added that relocating the livestock market would present opportunities to regenerate central Welshpool, but added that approval or refusal of the plan should not prejudice future applications for the existing market site.
