About 750 homes could be built as part of a new urban village planned for Oswestry.

And planners insist that lessons have been learned by mistakes made in the building of a neighbouring development.

Shropshire Council planners said last night that infrastructure items, such as access roads, would be put in place before the homes were built, if the proposals went ahead.

The urban extension has been earmarked for land between Oswestry bypass and Shrewsbury Road.

More than 50 people attended a public meeting last night, where planning officer Tim Morris outlined the reasons behind the scheme.

Mr Morris said land previously earmarked for development would be used for housing within built-up areas, but that would not be sufficient to allow Oswestry to grow, hence the plan for a sustainable urban settlement to the south east of the town.

This, he said would provide land for about 750 homes, employment, open space, infrastructure, a new link road and a local centre.

Many members of the public at the meeting said they were concerned about how the land would be developed.

Councillor Neil Graham said: “We have had enough problems in eastern Oswestry where the relief road was only put in after the houses were built as the borough council did not have the funding.”

Others asked about other facilities such as shops, a post office and also new schools.

Mr Morris said the area would aspire to have all the amenities although he said it would not need a new school because there was enough room in current schools.

He also said a council priority was to provide more employment land for Oswestry.

Councillor Trevor Davies called for a prestigious new building as part of the development.

“This could be an exciting new gateway for Oswestry. We need something impressive not just a row of houses like you see along many bypasses,” he said

Resident June McCarthy called for a scheme to help pedestrians, including a footbridge over the bypass.

Shropshire Council is urging people to comment on the plans by October 2, via the council website.