'World-renowned' business moving to Telford and into 'signature building'
A company ‘world-renowned’ in its industry is moving to Telford after having plans approved for a purpose-built building.
Swiss-owned firm Bruderer, a firm which specialises in sheet metal stamping and forming, is set to relocate from Luton to Hortonwood after having plans approved for an industrial building to assemble and service its ‘high-precision stamping presses’.
Alongside the industrial building there will be offices built to accommodate the company’s sales team, a service yard and parking. The building will be served off an internal road extending south from the existing site entrance.
The company currently employs 12 staff including skilled engineering personnel, sales engineers, management and administrative personnel.
“The architectural concept is to give the building a modern clean look that reflects Bruderer as a high-quality company with a reputation of unrivalled excellence in the field of manufacturing,” said the company’s access and design statement.
“The proposal will provide a signature building into the Hortonwood West development and an attractive and distinctive landmark along the Queensway (A442).
“The building is of a bespoke design that meets the company’s operational requirements and it will be constructed from high quality materials and finishes that reflect the company’s prestige standing in its particular line of business.”
‘Low-level’ bollard lighting is planned to be installed along the driveway, parking area and building entrance and LED floodlighting will be fitted to the north elevation of the building to illuminate the service yard.
The applicant said that there is ‘never’ more than one lorry delivery at any time at its current site and that the ‘majority’ of deliveries would be from ‘rigid’ vehicles or vans.
Planning permission was granted for a similar proposal in December 2020 for the Hortonwood site.
“The parent company has since been re-evaluating its operational requirements and has decided to fund a larger building to accommodate a slightly larger travelling crane and also to allow for the future growth of its UK based business,” the applicant added.
“The position of the building has been influenced by the route of a gas main that crosses the site diagonally and also a desire to locate the building where it will have some presence. The siting also allows for the service entry into the building and the associated manoeuvring area, to be screened from passing views along Queensway.”
No public objections were made against the plans, while Hadley and Leegomery Parish Council supported the scheme.
A Telford & Wrekin Council planning officer approved the scheme after considering that the site is of ‘adequate scale to accommodate the proposed changes’.
“Officers are satisfied that the design changes are acceptable and will not cause any harm to the character and appearance of the streetscene,” concluded the planning officer.
“In terms of visual appearance and design, the proposed building is considered acceptable.”
The council have fully granted the plans and the company states that it hopes to commence work at the ‘earliest opportunity’. They hope to occupy the building by summer next year.
