Land earmarked for a £50 million mental health village in Shropshire may contain a burial ground from the foot and mouth outbreak of the 1960s, it emerged today.

Bosses behind plans to redevelop Shelton Hospital, in Shrewsbury, have had to approach the Government for advice.

The move comes after South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Trust learned the site may contain carcasses from an outbreak in the 1960s.

The 10-acre site, just to the south of the hospital, was once used as its farm and many cows and pigs were slaughtered there when the disease struck, resulting in millions of animals being destroyed nationwide.

Last month plans were unveiled for a 120-bed mental health village to replace the last Victorian “asylum”.

The project would see five new buildings offering mental health services, in-patient facilities, a bank, a shop, a restaurant and a two-storey main building housing a shared support area with therapy services and a spiritual space.

But a report by engineers working on the project seems to suggest there are measures which could be taken if the land does contain an animal burial site.

A report by the consulting engineers for the project states: “It is understood that on December 4, 1967, 68 cattle and 234 pigs were slaughtered following an incidence of foot and mouth disease at Shelton Hospital Farm.

“We have contacted Defra Worcester and Animal Health and requested any information they may have regarding the potential for the existence of a burial pit on site.”

Engineers have also contacted Shropshire Archives for more details but so far none of the information received stated where the possible burial pit could be, it adds.

The next stage identified in the plans is to conduct a geophysical survey of the site before radar is used to look for anything that might be a burial pit.

Planners say that if carcasses are found it is thought they will be removed and disposed of at a suitable landfill site.

Outline plans have now been submitted to Shropshire Council for approval with a decision on the scheme expected by November 25.

Last month artists’ impressions of how the finished site may look were made public and put on show.