Oswestry’s traders say a new superstore should be on the site of the Central car park – if a site in the town has to be developed at all.

The Chamber of Trade has written to Shropshire Council objecting to three of the four rival proposals for supermarket and cinema complexes in the town.

Although the majority of traders are against any new developments the chamber says that if there is a demonstrated need for a new supermarket, that need should be met in the town centre.

The town centre scheme has been submitted by J Ross Developments. It and the other three on the Smithfield Livestock Market, Richard Burbidge and J T Hughes & Guttercrest sites will be debated by Shropshire Council in the coming months.

Chamber chairman Yossi Glicksman said: “Having considered each planning application the members were unanimous in their support for the town centre scheme proposals on the Central car park.

“The majority of traders in Oswestry would prefer to see the town centre developing through investments of capital from individual business and local government funding for the indoor and outdoor markets.

“But if we are to have a new superstore in Oswestry there are strong reasons why we would support the town centre scheme.”

Mr Glicksman said store owners were particularly concerned about the situation in Ellesmere and Wrexham, where they claim out-of-town proposals have taken people away from the town centre.

He said: “We don’t want to make the same mistake and it was therefore decided that any out-of-town proposal would have an unacceptable impact.”