Business leaders and councillors have welcomed news this week that work on phase two of the Tern Valley Business Park will start this month.
Shropshire Council confirmed on Monday that work on the £3.7 million, 13.5 acre project will begin on November 16.
It is expected to take around four months and the council hopes that the new industrial and commercial units provided there will create up to 120 new jobs.
The project was approved by the former Shropshire County Council last year but suffered a setback in July when regional development body Advantage West Midlands (AWM) withdrew its support. AWM had pledged £337,000 towards a rural enterprise centre, but Chris Hill from Shropshire Council’s investment and infrastructure team said it had decided to fund the shortfall.
He said: “We are extremely pleased to be starting work on phase two of the Tern Valley Business Park Phase this month.
“Shropshire Council is eager to stimulate economic development so that land and opportunities to expand will be available once the economic upturn comes and to meet demand from local businesses in the area.”
Shropshire councillor for Market Drayton and former district council leader David Minnery said: “When AWM announced they were pulling out, Shropshire Council did say that it would fill the gap from funds allocated for job creation.
It also hoped to divert money from schemes elsewhere in Shropshire that were either facing long delays or were no longer viable.
“As this scheme was initially a district council initiative, I am obviously delighted that Shropshire Council has been able to identify the funding to enable the scheme to go ahead.”
Residents living nearby had raised concerns about a proposed roundabout at the junction of Shrewsbury Road and Longford Turning creating noise and light pollution.
Chamber of Trade chairman and Market Drayton mayor Councillor Roy Aldcroft said: “I’m pleased the scheme is going ahead as the business park will provide accommodation for new businesses to come into the town and create employment.
“But I am concerned that the views of residents along Shrewsbury Road and Longford Turning may not have been considered yet as regards placing a roundabout there and that really does require some attention.”
North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson said he was “delighted” to hear that work on the business park was going ahead.
He said: “I hope it will encourage both new and established businesses to move into the area.”
