New livestock market taking shape
Politicians and farmers leaders have praised building progress on the re-development of one of Europe’s biggest one day livestock markets at Welshpool.
Work on the multi-million pound redevelopment of Welshpool Livestock Market began in mid-November 2008 and is on schedule for completion in October.
The market, the biggest in Wales and one of the largest centres for the sale of prime breeding sheep in Europe, is being relocated a mile north of the town by Oswestry based J. Ross Development, with building work being undertaken by the company’s in-house contracting arm J.R. Pickstock Ltd.
Farmers’ Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan said: “It’s a wonderful development, a purpose-built livestock market with all the necessary animal welfare requirements, and well served by trunk road connections.
“We are well aware that the existing market at Welshpool attracts animals from as far afield as south Ceredigion and no doubt that custom will continue.
“I’m sure the new market will attract a large number of buyers for the excellent produce of farms in the area. The high quality of their livestock is second to none.”
Keith Davies, a partner in Welshpool Livestock Ltd, said he was looking forward to moving to the new home and praised the developers for bringing the scheme to fruition and overcoming planning obstacles.
“Obstacles which seemed impossible to overcome are now behind us and we will have a livestock market, of which we can be proud, capable of serving farmers from all over Wales and England,” he said
Montgomeryshire MP, Mr Lembit Opik said J. Ross were ‘performing a major miracle in the speed they were constructing the new market.’
“They are focussed and committed to a very high standard of finish and I’m sure it will become one of the leading livestock markets in Europe. It’s a credit to Welshpool and also to J. Ross, who are once again proving that when it comes to construction, they’re a world class business.”
Glyn Davies, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Montgomeryshire and a local farmer said the building was the start of a new chapter in the history of farming in the area.
“I am a huge supporter of this scheme. It will be a superb boost for farming and the community.
“The pace at which the development has started has captured the imagination of not just the farming community but the people of Welshpool too,” he added.
The scheme sees the developers delivering a new 149,000 sq ft livestock market on a 16 acre site, complying with new bio security and DEFRA legislation for Welshpool Livestock Sales Ltd.
The development sees the creation of 1,044 sheep and 200 cattle pens with additional penning available for annual one-day sale volumes.
In its town centre location will go a major retail development including a Tesco store, petrol station and canal side restaurant.
The scheme also include a traffic management system involving a one-way gyratory scheme around Welshpool town centre and will provide more than £300,000 for conservation work and community improvements.
Andy Jones, Managing Director of J.R. Pickstock, said he was delighted that the scheme was getting off the ground so quickly.
“It has taken us some considerable time to get to the building stage so it is particularly pleasing to see the development work moving so quickly,” he said.
“Delivering the site on time to Welshpool Livestock Ltd is of paramount importance and it has been pleasing to see so much interest from the local community, farming organisations, farmers and local politicians.”