Oswestry business park plans to be lodged "within the next week"

Steve Charmley has today said the local authority will be submitting its plans for the infrastructure of the proposed Oswestry Innovation Park in the next week.

Burying the nearby overhead 400kv pylons and the 123kv line, which will come through the site, as well as leaving a six metre buffer strip to allow room for if the A5 between Ruabon and Shrewsbury is dualled, are some of the plans that will be included within the application.

Councillor Charmley said when operational the site could create up to 3,000 jobs for the region.

He said: "This is an extremely positive step. I've always considered this site to be one of the county's prime sites for employment and growth, and now it'll be taking a real step forward once the planning application goes in.

"This site is crucial for future employment opportunities in the region, as well the potential skills it will bring to the area."

The near 60-acre site, across the A483, is currently agricultural land.

Councillor Charmley said the creation of jobs at the site would also prove extremely beneficial for Oswestry, with an application currently pending for 600 homes on land between the bypass and Shrewsbury Road in the town.

Other plans due to be outlined in the application include the size of the buildings on the business park and whereabouts they will be located on the site.

Shropshire Council’s newly-appointed group manager for business growth and prosperity, Gemma Davies, compiled an economic growth strategy for the county, which was last week approved by the authority's cabinet, in which the Oswestry business park was included as a "key growth site".

In December, Councillor Charmley said the council would look into borrowing about £10 million to invest into the site, in an attempt to lure big employers to the region, including Jaguar Land Rover, after the project failed to gain any backing from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership funding.