Facelift for town centre shopping area
The restoration of one of Oswestry's historic buildings will include giving a facelift to a run down alleyway.
The former bakers shop in Church Street was a Greggs store for some years before the High Street chain moved into a shop next door.
Now developers want to turn the large building into four shops and a restaurant on the ground floor with three flats on the first floor.
Oswestry Town Council has welcomed the planning application for the grade 2 listed building and, at its latest meeting, said the plans were indicative of an upturn in fortune for the town centre.
Councillor Peter Cherrington said: "A development like this is very welcome for Oswestry. We need more independent stores and we also need accommodation in the town centre for local people."
"This will made a huge difference to this building and the alleyway, which is an eyesore in Oswestry. It is also good to see things looking up in Cross Street."
Design consultants for Hook Norton Brewery said the aim is to open up the uninviting alleyway that connects Church Street to English Walls and create Victorian style shop fronts in an arcade style of complex.
Its report to planners say: "The site is quite large, with the ground and first floors 299 square metres and 318 square metres. Whilst this provides a very generous area for a retailer to use, it is a lot of space to heat and light and effectively operate cost effectively."
The report says that the economic downturn and online shopping habits have forced the small independent businesses within communities to be leaner and smarter.
"Many have found that by banding together within arcades or collectives can adapt to the current economic climate."
