Road experts hit out at plans for Shrewsbury's Copthorne Barracks

The Ministry of Defence has submitted an application to build 174 houses and 45 retirement units on the site.

Under the proposal the Keep will also be converted into nine residential apartments.

However a report carried out by Mouchel on behalf of the local highway authority has raised questions about the suitability of access to the development.

The report specifically highlights the restricted visibility for vehicles using a proposed Barracks Lane junction with The Mount, describing the design as "unclear".

It recommends a survey of the area is done before approving plans to ensure future design work is accurate.

The report says: "The proposed amended access arrangements to Barracks Lane and The Mount appears to include a small separate area of land within the ownership of the applicant.

"The land is identified on the submitted Location Plan and other drawings and observations from the site visit suggest that the land currently sits within the garden of No. 59 The Mount.

"There also appear to be some anomalies in the Ordnance Survey base both in terms of the existing footway width along The Mount and the rear boundary of No 59, which does not reflect the current alignment of the boundary wall.

"A survey of this area is recommended to ensure that any future design work is accurate.

"The Barracks Lane junction with The Mount is narrow single-track and has restricted visibility for emerging vehicles.

"The revised development access arrangement appears to suggest a dual access arrangement utilising the existing Barracks Lane alignment and providing a second road and junction with The Mount across the eastern end of the adjacent property.

"This proposal appears to recognise the deficiencies in the current junction arrangements and is suggested as an improvement, however, the current design is unclear and it is considered that the new road and junction shown would still have restricted visibility to the west without further alterations to the frontage of No 59 The Mount, which is currently outside of the application site boundary."

The report suggests a single junction should serve the retirement flats, Barracks Lane and Cadogan Gardens and that combining the two roads shown on the application would provide an improved junction to The Mount.

The development is praised as providing good opportunities for people walking and cycling to schools and the town centre but the report says Copthorne Road is a barrier to residents accessing routes to the south.

The application includes a pedestrian crossing on Copthorne Road but the report says it is too close to the current traffic lights and recommends the location and type of crossing should be subject to a technical assessment.

An informal car sharing scheme should also be encouraged, the report says.

Peter Nutting, councillor for Copthorne, said: "I am pleased the highways officers have come up with the conclusion that to me is quite obvious.

"I think there are still other issues that need resolving but lets do one at a time.

"There are still issues about the officers' mess building that I am trying to get retained on the site and I won't give up on that very easily."

The report continues: "Three pedestrian/cycle access points appear to be shown to Barracks Lane, however the width of each and means of controlling their use should be clarified.

"In view of the number of dwellings to be served from the single access point onto Copthorne Road, it is considered that a controlled emergency vehicular access should be identified."

The report also says the number of 21 parking spaces identified for the retirement flats is not acceptable and should be increased.