The Lang Partnership has put forward proposals to expand Bowdens Farm Business Park northward

A rural Somerset business park is looking to expand with new workshops and storage facilities under fresh proposals.

Bowdens Farm Business Park is located on the B3168 Hambridge Road just outside the small village of Hambridge, situated between Langport and Ilminster.

The business park hosts a number of thriving small enterprises, including the Brown and Forrest Smokery, the Teapot Creative marketing agency, Rifleman Firearms and the DCC Train Automation model train outlet.

The Lang Partnership, which owns and operates the site, has submitted plans to extend the site northwards with additional units — with Somerset Council anticipated to reach a decision on the proposals before Christmas.

The expansion will take place on arable land to the north of Bowdens Farm, adjacent to an existing woodland area and accessed via the current entrance road off Hambridge Road.

The plans involve constructing a new building to accommodate six workshops for light industrial purposes, delivering a total of 363 sq m of employment space.

Eight large storage containers (each measuring 29.7 sq m) and 52 smaller storage containers (each measuring 14.7 sq m) will also be installed, alongside 31 additional car parking spaces, two motorcycle bays, two cycle spaces, two disabled bays and one electric vehicle charging point.

A spokesperson for Clive Miller Architects (representing the applicant) said: “The proposed development provides employment opportunities that are appropriate to the scale of the settlement and will meet the local demand for such opportunities.

“It is immediately adjoining the existing business centre, is of a size which will enable the organic development of the facility over the coming years, and will help to compliment and sustain the existing business.

“It will also make a positive contribution to the farm enterprise as a whole during a period of likely serious challenge for the agricultural sector and the arable farming business.”

Both Curry Rivel Parish Council and Hambridge and Westport Parish Council have thrown their weight behind the proposals, noting that the development would bring new employment opportunities to the local area.

Hambridge and Westport parish clerk Louise Brooks said: “We fully support the proposed extension to Bowdens Farm Business Park.

“We feel that increasing the level of business activity on the site is positive for the local area, helping to support local employment, the rural economy and local trade.”

Somerset Council is expected to reach a decision on the proposals within the next three months, though it remains unclear whether this will be determined in a public hearing by its planning committee south, which oversees major applications within the former South Somerset area, or through the delegated authority of its planning officers.

Helen Watson was voted the first female senior partner of Aaron & Partners in early 2026, 19 years after joining as its first female equity partner. She has led the firm’s employment team for more than 16 years and is recommended by The Legal 500 in the North West and West Midlands. The independent firm has offices in Chester, Shrewsbury, Altrincham and the Wirral. She tells Business Matters why it intends to stay that way.

What do you currently do at Aaron & Partners?

As senior partner, I work closely with our wider leadership team to shape and deliver the strategy for Aaron & Partners, looking at how we continue to grow the firm and develop new opportunities across the North West, North Wales and the Midlands, as well as increasingly through our international relationships.

Alongside that, I head up our employment and immigration team, where I advise regional, national and international employers on a wide range of complex employment matters: discrimination and harassment, large-scale redundancies, TUPE, trade union negotiations and workplace investigations. I am also a mediator and I appear as an advocate in the employment tribunal, where the backlog of single claims reached a record 70,000 at the end of June.

It means my role is quite varied. One day I might be helping a client navigate a particularly difficult employment issue, and the next I will be looking more broadly at where we want to take the firm and the opportunities we should be pursuing.

What was the inspiration behind your business?

Aaron & Partners has always been very clear about what it wants to be as a law firm, especially at a time of significant consolidation in the legal sector. We are proudly independent and want to grow organically while remaining rooted in the regions and communities we serve.

That independence allows us to build long-term relationships with our clients and provide practical legal advice with a real understanding of the commercial challenges they face. For me, that level of client care is what really sets us apart, and it is something we are determined not to lose as we continue to grow.

Who do you admire?

Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand. She was known for empathetic leadership, clear communication and decisiveness during crises, and she demonstrated that strength and kindness can coexist.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?

As I am leading a successful team and firm, it is hard to reflect on anything I would have done differently. I became the first female owning partner the year I joined the firm, and have subsequently become the first female senior partner.

I have always been a single parent to a son who is just about to turn 21. Alongside the day job, I hope I will always be viewed and remembered as significantly contributing to charity and giving back to the community, which is very important to me. I chair Theatr Clwyd, which has been through a capital redevelopment of more than £50m, I am an ambassador and former chair of Claire House Children’s Hospice, and I spent 11 years as chair of the Institute of Directors in North Wales. Over the last decade I have raised more than £200,000 for local causes.

What defines your way of doing business?

From my perspective, relationship building always has to be at the core, and I believe we are only as good as the relationships we build. Whether it is with a client, a colleague or someone I have met through one of the various organisations I am involved with, I have always believed in taking the time to get to know people properly and understand what matters to them.

I also think we have to demystify the legal profession. There is probably still a misconception that law is a stuffy, corporate world full of legal jargon. While some firms might be like that, at Aaron & Partners we believe in providing practical legal answers to practical problems. Ultimately, people want approachable lawyers they can talk to comfortably, and that is something I have always tried to bring to the way my team and I work.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

Do not become so worried about risk that it stops you from taking opportunities. Running a business has probably never felt more complex, especially as employers are dealing with rising costs, changes to employment law, inflation and countless other pressures. But if you focus on every potential problem, it would be very easy to talk yourself out of starting a business altogether.

That does not mean ignoring the risks, but if you have done your homework, believe in the idea and made a sound judgement that there is a business opportunity there, back yourself.

It is also important to build a good team around you from the off. Whether that is employees, lawyers, accountants or other advisers, lean on their expertise. The best business owners I work with know what they are good at, but they also know when to ask someone else for help.

Sensex gained 550 points to 74,850, and Nifty gained 78 points to trade near 23,422 on Monday, as seen at around 12.02 am. Broader markets, however, slipped into the red, with Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 indices falling up to 0.4%.

UltraTech Cement, Sun Pharma, HCL Tech, Asian Paints and IndiGo shares rose 2-3% to lead gains on Sensex, while shares of Power Grid, Bharti Airtel and Infosys fell more than 1% each. Among the sectors, Nifty FMCG and Nifty Pharma rose over 1% each, while Nifty IT dropped 0.6%. The overall market breadth remained flat, with NSE seeing 1,600 advances and 1,641 declines, while 107 stocks remained unchanged.

Also read | Lenskart shares drop 3% after 3 crore shares change hands in block deal; Platinum Jasmine likely seller

What lies ahead for Dalal Street?

Global geopolitical risks are increasing, V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments, noted. He added that the conflicts in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war are escalating. However, Brent crude has declined to below $102 per barrel, due to increasing oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz.

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The US 10-year bond yields are hovering around 5%, posing a threat to equity markets. But equity markets are holding their ground, taking cues from the robust growth in developed economies and expectations of good corporate earnings, Vijayakumar said, adding that in India, too, this pattern is playing out.
“GDP growth of 7% and Nifty earnings growth of 12 to 14% are achievable in FY27. The broader market earnings growth will be much better. These expectations are already in the price since the mid-and small-cap valuations are at a significant premium to large-caps. A sectoral pivot to large-caps is likely. But this will happen only when the Iran-US conflict is resolved, and crude and bond yields decline. Investors should wait for this pivot and, meanwhile, accumulate high-quality large-caps available at attractive valuations,” according to the analyst.Also read | Tata Chemicals, Tata Investment Corp shares fall up to 3% as boardroom battle likely to reach court

Technical view on Nifty

With Nifty having reached within touching distance of the 23,400 objective, a consolidation is expected, said Anand James, Chief Market Strategist at Geojit Investments. He, however, said that the favoured view expects this phase to be short-lived and a rise to 23,560 and beyond may be expected if dips are contained above 23,280/260.

“Meanwhile, we will wait for a break past 23,116 to reconsider prospects of 22,600-21,800,” the analyst noted.

Disclaimer: This article has been written by Debaroti Adhikary, who is not a SEBI-registered Research Analyst or an Investment Adviser. Debaroti Adhikary and his/her ‘relative(s)’ (as defined under Section 2(77) of the Companies Act, 2013) do not hold any financial interest in the companies mentioned in this article as of the date of publication. The views/recommendations mentioned in this article, wherever applicable, are those of the respective SEBI-registered Research Analyst/brokerage and have been reproduced/reported with due attribution. They should not be construed as the views or recommendations of The Economic Times Digital or the journalist. Readers are advised to consider the original research report and make their investment decisions based on their own assessment. Brokerage disclaimers here.

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling more than 208,000 vehicles in the U.S. over a steering rack mounting bolt that can corrode and break, potentially causing a loss of steering control.

The recall affects a total of 208,724 SUVs, including certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced.

The affected Tiguan vehicles were manufactured from March 22, 2017, through June 18, 2018, the affected Atlas vehicles were manufactured from Nov. 30, 2016, through Sept. 22, 2018, and the affected Audi Q3 vehicles were manufactured from May 21, 2019, through July 16, 2021.

FORD RECALLS MORE THAN 223,000 VEHICLES OVER FUEL TANK ISSUE

Volkswagen is recalling more than 208,000 vehicles in the U.S. over a steering rack mounting bolt that may corrode and break that could break and cause a loss of steering control. (Getty Images / Getty Images)

The recalled vehicles were manufactured with a specific steering rack, so vehicles with a different steering rack are unaffected by the recall.

According to the notice, the right-side mounting bolt on the steering rack can corrode after moisture enters the surrounding area. If the bolt head fractures, the steering rack could remain attached to the vehicle’s subframe at only one mounting point.

CHRYSLER RECALLS NEARLY 75K SUVS OVER PARTS THAT COULD DETACH WHILE DRIVING

The recall affects a total of 208,724 SUVs, including certain 2018 Tiguan, 2018-2019 Atlas and 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles. (Getty Images / Getty Images)

According to NHTSA, continued loading could cause the steering rack housing to fracture, potentially leading to a loss of steering capability, potentially leading to a loss of steering capability.

“A broken steering rack housing can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash,” the NHTSA said in its notice.

Volkswagen and Audi said they are not aware of any crashes, fires, injuries or deaths linked to the defect.

Volkswagen and Audi said they are not aware of any crashes, fires, injuries or deaths linked to the defect. (Getty Images / Getty Images)

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Dealers will replace the right steering rack mounting bolt with a bolt featuring a highly corrosion-resistant polymer coating at no cost. The new bolt is designed to offer greater protection against corrosion.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed out on Nov. 10.