Go-ahead for caravan park and farm shop near Ellesmere
Plans to create a new farm shop, restaurant, visitor’s centre and caravan park near Ellesmere have been given the green light.
Planning permission has been granted to convert part of a range of agricultural buildings at Corner Farm, near Welshampton, into a new development.
The owners currently run a dairy farm and hope to sell their products in the new shop.
They hope the scheme could create ten jobs.
Philip Mullineux, case officer for Shropshire Council, said: "The development proposes the re-use of a vernacular set of agricultural buildings which visually make a positive contribution towards the character and appearance of the area.
"The application also proposes a small caravan park to the rear of the site which with further landscape mitigation as proposed is considered acceptable.
"The proposed use of part of the site for a farm shop and tourist destination will provide a local outlet for the retail of food products produced locally.
"This will provide sustainability benefits by helping towards food mileage and also provide economic benefits to the local area as the enterprise will generate jobs.
"It will also encourage tourists to the area benefiting not just the proposed development but also other existing facilities and attractions.
"The application received no adverse comments from any of the statutory consultees and it is noted that the local parish council supports the application, as do many members of the public who have written in support of the application."
In the future the owners also hope to allow small groups of people to prepare and cook the local produce in a cookery school environment.
The plans state that the visitor centre will show how food is produced and what technology is involved in agriculture.
It is intended that live streaming of work being carried out on the farm will be displayed.
A planning document submitted in support of the application said: "When completed Corner Farm will form a sustainable development promoting local rural business and tourism, it will offer opportunity to diversify local agriculture and provide an educational element based around agriculture and its future.
“The proposal at Corner Farm will allow the agricultural business to diversify into other areas which are complimentary to its activities and provide an opportunity to further develop the agricultural business.
“The site has the benefit of a previous consent for conversion, this established the suitability of the development of the site in historic, structural and ecological terms.
“This application seeks to enhance this by developing a thriving rural enterprise.”
