UP to 30 jobs will be created after plans to create the first “super” timber sawmill in Wales were given the nod by Powys planners.
Earlier this year a planning application has been lodged with Powys County Council by David Burd of BSW for two new buildings and associated works to be built at their sawmill near Newbridge-on-Wye.
The village is five miles from Llandrindod Wells.
The primary operations and drop sorter buildings as well as associated works would allow BSW to increase their log input capacity from 200,000 cubic metres (m3) to 360,000 cubic metres.
They are expected to increase the capacity and productivity of the business.
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The primary operations building will contain sawmill machinery, chippers, bandsaw and circular saws that will convey partially converted round logs to the existing sawmill.
The drop sorter building will be an extension to the existing sawmill to provide additional sorting and stacking facilities to process the increased production volumes.
The buildings would be gross inside area of 820 square metres and 1640 square metres.
The scheme would take the number of workers at the saw mill up to 145 from 115.
The sawmill had existing planning permission for new buildings which were approved by the council back in 2014.
The new application was for bigger buildings than those that were approved nine years ago.
These were not built at the time due to the prevailing economic conditions.
Powys planning officer Catherine James said: “The proposed development is at an established, existing timber sawmill and wood processing plant and will allow the works to increase its capacity and will create approximately 30 fulltime jobs.
“The proposed development is considered to be of an acceptable design and scale at this location where an employment/economic use is already established and is unlikely to have an adversely, unacceptable impact on the wider landscape or any ecological assets.
“The recommendation is one of approval.”
A number of conditions have been placed on the planning permission; these include:
That building work starts within five years.
A Construction Traffic Management Plan (CMTP) is produced and will be stuck to when building work starts.
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