Business park key to Bishop’s Castle's future

Shropshire Council has submitted plans to add four new industrial units to the Bishop’s Castle Business Park in an effort to attract new investment in the town.

The plans have been submitted to the authority’s planning department and will be decided upon in the coming weeks.

In the application, the council said: “The business park has been partially developed in a piecemeal fashion to provide owner-occupier industrial accommodation for local businesses including a building supplier and veterinary surgery.

“The proposed business units will occupy the undeveloped and unserviced land to the north of Bishop’ Castle Business Park which extends to approximately 1.61 hectares.”

The report outlines how the future of the park is vital to the towns economy – warning that without it businesses could leave.

It states: “The economy of Bishops Castle requires support to ensure that the businesses already in the town can have the opportunity to expand and grow and to ensure the future vibrancy of the community.

“If the development does not take place, the consequences could be that the businesses relocate to areas that can provide the expansion land they need, forcing employees to either commute, creating the potential of a dormitory town, or the employees will relocate with their jobs.

“Both scenarios will be detrimental to the future sustainability and viability of an active market town.

“As quality employment opportunities are lost in the town, it will attract less skilled workers, so wage levels will suffer, impacting on housing affordability and quality of life in this rural area.

“Therefore, the proposed business units will ensure that Bishops Castle’s economy can continue to grow and create skilled, well paid jobs for future generations.”

The report adds that the project has the support of the town’s representatives.