PERMISSION to build additional commercial units on a property outside Oswestry is being sought from Shropshire Council, which could boost rural start-up businesses.

An application was submitted to planning officers at Shirehall last week to build the commercial buildings on land at Weston House Mill, in Weston, between Oswestry and Morda.

The application, from Roger Parry & Partners on behalf of landowner N E Jones, says the land is an existing commercial site that was most recently used as a haulage yard.

But now, according to the agents, Mr Jones is hoping to use the buildings to add to already established units for rent from rural start-up businesses which he hopes to support.

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The planning and access statement said: “Approval of this application has the potential to create jobs through small businesses as their business will be able to grow once a workplace and storage site has been acquired.

“The proposal will improve the resilience and diversity of income within the site to stabilise its future.

“The workshops will also be the catalyst in the growth of the occupier’s businesses providing them with flexible workspace they demand to operate their business.

“There will be eight additional workshops within the proposed buildings and these will be rented individually to allow small rural businesses to start up and become established.

“After much research, the client has found in the vicinity of Oswestry and the surrounding areas commercial property to let is largely only available on long-term agreements, leading to high rents and rates making it difficult for small and start-up businesses.

“The units at Weston Mill will fill this gap in the market and provide flexible workplaces on flexible terms to suit small businesses.

“The existing units on site are all rented by local residents requiring storage or workshops, this confirms the demand for this type of commercial space.”

The application statement says that there will be no ecological impacts on the site from the plans, and the building of bat and bird boxes will improve biodiversity.

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It also added that as the site is no longer used as a haulage yard, it will improve noise and added that it benefits from having already established commercial access.

It also added that given its locality close to Oswestry and other villages, there will be potential to employ ‘greener’ ways to travel to work.

Anyone wishing to comment on the application can do so by searching 23/04586/FUL on Shropshire Council’s planning portal.