Military block on former Shropshire airfield will be demolished as auctioneer office plans get go-ahead
An auction business near Whitchurch is set to build new offices after plans were approved by Shropshire Council.
The scheme will see a rundown existing office building on the site of Malcolm Harrison Auctions near Prees demolished and replaced with a "new, modern" office building for the business.
The company has run a plant and machinery sales auction business from north Shropshire since 1998.
Permission was given to convert the building, an old military hangar on the former Tilstock airfield, into offices 15 years ago and while work has started on the scheme, it was never completed.
Since then, the business said, the building has "deteriorated significantly", and a protective tarpaulin covering was placed over it after structural issues were identified during separate highway works at the auction site in 2023.
Now, the firm has been given the go-ahead to demolish the building to make way for brand new office accommodation.
"The proposed development will enhance the site's functionality, replacing the large white marquee structure with a contemporary brick building featuring a profile sheet roof, aligning with the site's aesthetic and operational requirements," said a supporting statement submitted with the plans.
"This proposal represents a significant improvement to the site by addressing existing structural deficiencies and replacing outdated facilities with a modern, purposebuilt office building. The new development will not only enhance the operational efficiency of the site but also contribute to its visual and functional coherence by removing the temporary marquee structure and integrating a permanent, well-designed building."
Approving the development, planning officers from Shropshire Council said the scheme's like-for-like replacement of an existing office building was acceptable.
But the authority added a condition that the new building could only be used in association with the existing business, and could not at any time be sold or let as a separate unit.
Full plans and documents relating to the scheme can be found online via Shropshire Council's planning portal using reference 25/01693/FUL.
