No homes near Oswestry hill fort, say campaigners

Civic groups will lobby councillors calling on them to re-think plans to build homes around an ancient hill fort in Shropshire.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England, Oswestry and Border History and Archaeology Group and Oswestry Civic Society met this week to draw up an action plan to try to stop homes being built around Oswestry's Hill Fort.

Fears were sparked by Shropshire Council's SAMDev development plan.

It suggests 80 new homes off Gobowen Road and 25 at Oldport Farm on the same road.

The campaign groups are supported by the British Archaeology Trust and English Heritage.

Civic society chairman Saffron Rainey said: "It was a very good meeting and the conclusion is we will contact councillors. We want to present the case for the importance, not just local importance but national importance, of the site.

"We would like to make that case to the Oswestry town councillors. We would hope, on consideration, they would review their planning officer's recommendations and review the sites.

"What we have is a recommendation and it is for the council to make the decision. It is for the councillors to intervene and make changes."

Oswestry's hill fort is one of the largest in Europe and said by some to be the birthplace of Guinevere, the wife of King Arthur.

English Heritage spokeswoman Katharine Grice said: "Oswestry Hill Fort is one of the greatest archaeological monuments of the nation and a major attraction in the area.

"Currently the hill fort is surrounded by fields which is important to its setting and inappropriate development there could damage its significance. English Heritage shares the concern of local groups and will be responding to Shropshire Council's consultation. "

Shropshire Council is encouraging people to fill in the questionnaire for their area on the website at www. shropshire.gov.uk/samdev or call 0345 678 9000.

The consultation has been extended to 20 July.

By Chrissy Symmons