A controversial new £100 million bypass planned for Shrewsbury would provide a massive boost to business – bringing new firms into the town, creating new jobs and helping it compete with other places, it was claimed today.

Simon Airey, chairman of Shrewsbury Business Chamber, said the planned North West Relief Road would put the town on a “level footing” with other similar-sized towns if it gets Government support and would finally be built after more than 20 years of talks.

Shropshire Council, which has submitted a bid for funding for the proposed scheme, is hopeful the Government will make an announcement about whether it is successful before the summer recess for Parliament.

Critics – including the Campaign to Protect Rural England – claim the £99.98 million scheme should not be built and would “carve a destructive swathe” through the countryside.

But today Mr Airey said the business chamber was fully backing the project and felt it would provide a wealth of benefits.

He said: “The business chamber backs it 100 per cent. We think it is essential for the growth of the town for various reasons.

“It could help bring more businesses into the town, would provide a boost for business and could put us on a level footing to allow Shrewsbury to compete with other towns.”

Shropshire Council has previously said that if funding is secured for the scheme from the Government, the road could be built by 2017.