THE vote by South Shropshire District Council on whether to build an Eco-business Park east of the A49 at Sheet Road North is expected to be close.

The full council has to decide next Wednesday whether to reverse a previous veto by its development control committee and approve a scheme that has provoked strong objections all over Ludlow.

Ahead of next week's meeting, district council chief executive Graham Biggs sent all 34 councillors a dossier explaining why Sheet Road North, a greenfield site with dramatic views of Clee Hill, is the only place where the Eco-business Park can go.

Following May's elections, 14 of the councillors are newcomers. Their votes will be crucial. Everyone agrees that the decision is too close to call and even the absence of one councillor could be significant.

The dossier includes letters from two Ludlow firms, Premier Medical and Occam Systems, supporting the plan.

Premier, which employs more than 100 people in south Shropshire, said it made its commitment to Ludlow "on the basis that a longer term solution of a purpose built office would be achieved".

It added: "It would be unacceptable if the company is faced with turning away work because it has no space to expand."

IT group Occam said it will outgrow its present offices by next year. The business park would meet its "very real need" for "a modern office that supports our business and provides an appropriate image to our existing and potential customers".

In a separate document, council leader Heather Kidd and two colleagues set out 22 reasons for the park and its planned site.

They say it will be "attractive, landscaped, screened and quality controlled" and will not generate pollution, noise or smoke.

The document says it is needed to encourage young people to stay in the area and to stop Ludlow and South Shropshire from depending too much on agriculture and tourism. The park will bring in significant income in rents and capital return and keep council tax down.

A "no" vote will lose £3.8 million in grants, plus around £100,000 spent on deposits and work done so far. The Local Plan, which has cost £300,000 already, may fail and there is no time to write a new one before a planning inquiry in January. There would be no European funding for alternative sites.

On worries about possible development beyond the A49, the document states: "No town has a permanent boundary but there are no plans to build houses east of the A49 in the Local Plan to 2011."

The public has until 3pm next Wednesday to send its written views to the Chief Executive of South Shropshire District Council at Stone House, Corve Street, Ludlow SY8 1DG.