Work is well underway on the 20,000 square feet building, which will have two fine art salerooms, dedicated offices and storage space, adjacent to Shrewsbury Auction Centre in the Battlefield area of the town.

“Apart from raising our profile in Shropshire, the development will allow the company to expand and improve the wide range of professional services that we provide to our clients,” said David Giles, a director of Halls.

“We are an ambitious company with plans to expand the agricultural, professional and fine art departments and there will be a natural synergy by being located on the same site as Shrewsbury Auction Centre.”

Halls’ rural professional team in Shrewsbury comprises company chairman Peter Willcock, Mr Giles, Shaun Jones, Louise Roberts and Stephen Evans.

The department also extends to the company’s Kidderminster office where Daniel Lovatt, a rural professional director, leads a successful team. Always looking to the future, Halls employs a student from Harper Adams University, Newport every year on a 12-month structured training scheme.

“From our new head office we will be well equipped to react to the many challenges and opportunities that face the rural sector and provide advice to farmers, landowners and rural businesses,” said Shaun Jones.

“Our central location will be convenient to all clients and having the livestock market next door will mean that we are on hand to offer professional advice to farmers on market days.”

Halls offers an extensive range of professional services and specialises in all types of planning work, formal valuations, environmental stewardship, compensation and compulsory acquisition, property sales and lettings and single farm payment.

The planning department, in particular, is set to expand further with the move. The company submits all types of agricultural and residential planning applications, strategic promotion of land for development, environmental impact assessments for large projects and offers an in-house drawings service.