Talks on Oswestry Hillfort at annual meeting

The talks have been arranged by Selattyn and Gobowen Parish Council in the light of fresh interest in the landmark which has been sparked by controversial housing plans.

English Heritage officers will give a talk about the site at the authority's annual parish meeting on May 27.

Campaigners have launched the Hands Off Old Oswestry Hillfort (HOOOH) amid fears new housing plans in the shadow of the monument will damage the views and setting of the monument.

Selattyn and Gobowen Parish Council Clerk Penny O'Hagan said the authority's annual parish meeting would hear about the history of the hillfort.

She said: "English Heritage property curator, Heather Sebire will give a talk on the archaeology, history and future plans for Oswestry Hill Fort.

"There has been a lot in the press lately about the hillfort and there has been an increased interest in it.

"The parish council feels it wants to garnish that interest and look at how people can get involved in the hillfort.

"People are interested in what is happening.

"Although it is called Oswestry Hillfort it actually falls within the parish of Selattyn and Gobowen so it will be useful to hear more about it."

The annual parish meeting starts at 7pm in the Pavilion on St Martins Road in Gobowen and will also include the parish council's annual report and annual reports from organisations within the parish.

Members of HOOOH set up their campaign over housing plans around the hillfort.

Shropshire Council has included a site for 117 houses off Whittington Road near setting of the hillfort in its SAMDev masterplan for county development to 2026.

The house plans have been put forward to help address the county's shortage of homes.

HOOOH argues that five-year housing targets could be more than met from some of the sites already with planning permission across the county being land-banked by developers.