A food processing plant will open in Oswestry after planning permission was granted to convert a former warehouse unit into manufacturing space.

An application by Asian food manufacturer Oriental Food Express to convert buildings formerly used as storage on Maesbury Road Industrial Estate was approved by Shropshire Council last week.

The scheme will see the firm’s food preparation operations moved closer to its storage and distribution activities, which are based in the next-door unit.

“The applicant currently operates from the adjacent unit to the east of the site where food is stored and distributed wholesale. The applicant wishes to move the food processing and manufacturing to the application site so that It can be prepared adjacent to its distribution hub,” said a planning statement submitted with the application.

“The four existing buildings are currently used as storage. It is proposed that they would be re-purposed so that wholesale food manufacturing could be undertaken. This would result in minor internal changes and some upgrading of existing building fabric.

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“The buildings in question have a physical link to the adjacent buildings which are used by the same company for storage and distribution. As a result, most of the raw materials and finished products will be transported through this internal passage to and from Coldmove Ltd. Therefore, the number of large external trucks entering and leaving our factory will be for deliveries and fairly minimal.

“The site will act as the processing and production element and be transferred internally to the existing storage and distribution operation. ”

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Around 10-15 employees are expected to work at the manufacturing operation on the site, with up to two heavy goods vehicle movements per week.

Approving the scheme, Shropshire Council’s planning officers said the development would support the expansion of an existing business in the county, and contribute to the area’s economic growth.

“It is considered that proposed use for the manufacturing of food will be compatible with the application site and the wider area,” the officer’s report said.

“The premises are in the middle of a dedicated industrial estate park and a good distance away from any residential areas. The site is surrounded by a number of other large industrial / units. It is not expected that the proposed use would have any detrimental impact on the operation of these businesses or the general amenity of neighbouring occupiers.”