Shropshire Star

British Ironwork Centre plans to go to minister

A planning dispute over a major Shropshire tourist attraction could be settled by the government.

Published
British Ironwork Centre

The Secretary of State for Local Government has been asked to call in an application seeking retrospective permission for work carried out at the British Ironwork Centre on the outskirts of Oswestry.

Bosses at the centre have welcomed the news, saying they hope it will mean a decision can finally be made. The centre applied for retrospective planning permission for the tourist buildings, sculpture park and warehousing on the site south of Oswestry in 2015.

It was expecting Shropshire Council to make a decision by the end of the year. However, the matter was not listed on the schedule for November’s meeting of the North Planning Committee.

Now it has been revealed that an unknown person has called on the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to call in the application. The minister has not yet made a decision on the request.

The news means that even if Shropshire Council’s planners wanted to grant permission it would be delayed until the Secretary of State has considered the matter.

John Blakeway, on behalf of the government department, wrote to Shropshire Council last week, and said: “The Secretary of State has received a request to call in the above application. I have asked that if committee is minded to grant permission on the above application you will not issue a decision to permit development until the Secretary of State has considered the case against his call in policy and issued a decision.

“The Secretary of State will of course endeavour to make a decision as soon as is practically possible following your committee meeting.”

Clive Knowles, chairman and Ben Knowles, chief executive of the British Ironwork Centre said they were pleased with the news.

“It means the future of the centre will be judged on its merits,” Mr Knowles said.

“We have produced all the necessary surveys, we have done everything Highways England has asked us to do and it is only the vexatious few that are now keeping the application from going to councillors.”

Clive Knowles said the delay had caused stress and anxiety for the family and the 85 staff employed at the tourist attraction.

He said: “We started the planning process in 2015 and in 2016 we put forward to the council our visions for the future as we were asked to do. The endless delays have quite naturally led to worry about the future. The constant set-backs have caused anxiety and worry for us and for our staff.At least now we know that it will be the Secretary of State that will have the last word.”