Oswestry could be site of new 750-home development
Shropshire's new development plan has opened the way for a major new extension to one of the county's market towns.
Oswestry Sustainable Urban Extension could see 750 homes built to the south east of the town as well as zones set out for employment land and leisure.
It could also bring closer a scheme to build Oswestry Innovation Park on the other side of the A5/A483.
The Oswestry Sue, as it has become known, is part of Shropshire Council's SAMdev document which looked at how the county should develop in the future.
It involves land sandwiched between Oswestry Leisure Centre and North Shropshire College and the bypass.
In the SAMdev document planners say: "The Eastern Gateway Sue will accommodate major housing development, a business park and land for community facilities and public open space, providing a new link road between the Middleton and Shrewsbury roads."
Developer J-Ross Developments has set out its vision for the urban extension with its own plan for how the land could be set out.
Oswestry Town Council says it welcomes the proposed extension because of the broad proportion and disposition of land uses.
In its response to consultation over the extension it said: "The urban extension offers the opportunity to design and create a high quality urban environment.
"The community element should include allotments and open space provision should be generous and usable – full integration with the new leisure centre and the North Shropshire College campus is essential.
"Phasing of development should not be allowed to proceed in a piecemeal fashion – it is important that comprehensive infrastructure is provided at the outset and that there is a good mix of type and affordability of dwellings.
"There is particular need for accommodation suitable for the elderly."
Shropshire Council has said there will be good pedestrian and cycle links build to link the urban extension to the town centre.
It also wants to provide link with the proposed innovation park on the other side of the bypass.
There is no timetable for the scheme, which will have to go through the normal planning channels.
