A coalition of organisations has been formed to ensure the survival of Oswestry town centre and fight proposals for three out-of-town supermarkets.

OS21, dedicated to promoting sustainable development in Oswestry in the 21st century, has joined the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Oswestry Civic Society and the Oswestry Chamber of Commerce to object to current plans.

The coalition objects to out-of-town retail development and says town centre development holds the best hope for its survival.Mark Evans, a spokesman for the group, said: “We are pleased to announce the formation of a coalition of OS21, CPRE and Oswestry Civic Society, with an affiliation with the Oswestry Chamber of Commerce.

“All four organisations object to the Smithfield, Burbidge and JT Hughes supermarket applications.

“Town centre sites have not been investigated before considering edge-of-town and out-of-town supermarket and retail proposals. Appropriate town centre development holds the best hope for town survival, sustainability and regeneration.

“We support the principle that the Central Car Park should have been, and should be, investigated as part of the planning process before edge-of-town/out-of-town is considered, according to national, regional and the borough council’s own planning guidelines.”

Mr Evans said the group was also looking into speaking to people across the county as Shropshire will soon be under the control of a unitary council.

“We are trying to make links with people in other towns in north Shropshire, Ellesmere, Market Drayton, Whitchurch and Wem,” he added.

“Oswestry will be seen as a bigger geographical area and I think we need to be seen as part of that so Oswestry has a bigger identity in the unitary. If the planning decision goes out of borough council hands then the decision about a supermarket in Oswestry will be taken at unitary level so we need to have some influence there.”

Developers Liberty Mercian want to build on part of Oswestry’s livestock market, timber firm Richard Burbidge Ltd wants to build a store in Whittington Road and JT Hughes and Guttercrest plan to build a supermarket in Victoria Road.