Public consultation on Market Drayton relief road

A public consultation on plans for a multi-million pound relief road in north Shropshire is due to be held in September, it was announced today.

The proposals for the £3.3 million inner relief road in Market Drayton would connect Phoenix Bank and Stafford Street.

Council bosses have been carrying out negotiations with landowners affected by the proposals, while also trying to identify the mystery owner of a small patch of land required for the planned route.

Council bosses say title deeds for the land behind Market Drayton Bowling Club's green, close to the planned route, had not been found despite numerous inquiries and searches with the Land Registry.

Today Martin Allard, head of major projects at Shropshire Council, said: "We are still trying to find the owner of the site at the back of the new brewery."

He said despite strong leads from members of the public they had still been unable to trace the owner and an advert would soon be published. But he added: "That in itself won't hold the project up."

Mr Allard said the bowling green was not under threat from the plans and that talks with most of the landowners had gone well.

If given the go-ahead, the relief road is expected to divert lorries away from town centre.