Oswestry’s controversial town green has now been handed over to the new Shropshire Council in a deal which will secure the area’s long-term future.

The unitary authority says it wants to create a plan for the management of the five-acre site and will consult with the people of Oswestry over how it can be developed.

A cycle track and kick-about area are two ideas being mooted.

Advantage West Midlands bought the land, off the Gobowen Road, as part of its plan to build a health village and live/work units in the centre of Oswestry.

But a small group of residents launched an objection to the land being built on and won the right to see it registered as a town green.

Its future ownership had been uncertain but now it has been revealed Advantage West Midlands is to give Shropshire Council £3,000 a year for the next decade to provide for the basic maintenance of the site.

Neil Willcox, head of the council’s leisure services, said it seemed sensible to combine the management of the site with the adjacent Shelf Bank local nature reserve.

He said further fundraising would probably be needed for other work on the town green.

“We hope to work with the local community to develop and to manage the land in the future.

He added: “Given its central location and its past history there is a great deal of local interest.”

He said in the short term the council had to clarify land boundaries and ownership, and confirm there were no contamination issues.

In the medium term, Mr Willcox said, the council would develop a brief for the site together with the community.