Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury Town gives thumbs up to Lidl plans near Greenhous Meadow

Building a discount supermarket next to a football club's ground could have a positive effect on the wider community, Shrewsbury Town bosses have said.

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Brian Caldwell, chief executive of Shrewsbury Town FC, said that the area earmarked for the supermarket had initially been set aside for community football when the stadium was first built. He said: "The land has never been used for this as we have always hosted local finals and other events on the stadium pitch. The land where the Lidl proposal is isn't capable of hosting matches as the surface isn't even and has no drainage."

But the proposal from Lidl could prompt a re-shuffle of pitches.

Mr Caldwell said that at the club's annual meeting last month, shareholders agreed to pass land at Sundorne Castle – previously owned by the chairman – to the club's ownership.

He said: "Now that the land has been transferred, we announced last week the first step of investment – £188,000 on the grass pitches upgrade which players can use throughout the season. This would then free up the existing first team training pitch."

Mr Caldwell said following the move, it means the agreement to have a community football site could potentially be transferred to the current first team training pitch – leaving the proposed Lidl site available. He said: "If the Lidl planning application was successful the funding from this could then potentially finance the upgrade into an all weather 4G artificial pitch."

"This could be run by our Shrewsbury Town in the Community which is a separate entity and registered charity. This would be of huge community benefit to Shrewsbury."

More than 100 comments have been submitted in support and against the plans.

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