Market Drayton population shoots up by 13pc

The biggest town in the former North Shropshire District Council area added 1,366 residents between 2001 and 2011, and its population now stands at 11,773, up from 10,407 in 2001. The latest figures show the overall Shropshire Council area has a population of 306,129.

This is an increase of 8.1 per cent from the 2001 census count of 283,173.

It means Market Drayton has been growing at a faster rate than the county average, raising fresh questions for public officials about what investment priorities the town should have in the coming years.

However, there are some surprising results for the town according to the findings of the latest once-a-decade study of life in Britain. The town appears to be ageing, unlike other north Shropshire towns such as Wem, where the population has become more youthful.

Popular

In 2001, 19.92 per cent of Market Drayton residents were aged under 15, compared to 18.44 per cent in 2011. And the percentage of the town's population aged over 65 has climbed from 17.57 per cent in 2001 to 20 per cent in 2011. The town's average age has also risen from about 39-and-a-half in 2001 to nearly 42-and-a-half in 2011.

David Minnery, Shropshire Council member for Market Drayton West, said: "I'm not surprised by these figures; Market Drayton has always been more popular than its neighbours as a commuting town. Our quiet and relatively peaceful environment is also attractive as a retirement destination.

"The downside is the slight drop in younger people and it is our task to try to create a range of employment opportunities to make it more likely that the younger people will want to stay here to live and work, or to move here to live and work."

By Tom Johannsen