Energy park fears over traffic
Councillors have voiced concerns over lorries travelling though a market town when work begins on a new renewable energy park.
Shropshire Council's North Planning Committee granted permission for a temporary access road for construction traffic building the Cefn y Maes Community Energy Park on land near Oswestry's Racecourse common at Rhydycroesau.
But Oswestry councillors said they wanted to ensure that the largest lorries were diverted away from Oswestry town centre.
The developers behind the scheme, renewables firm Engena Limited, want to install 2,588 solar panels over the border in Powys, but had to get approval from Shropshire Council to create the new, temporary road along a farm access track and field boundaries close to the site.
Councillors gave the go-ahead saying the two-kilometre long track would have to be removed no longer than nine months after the energy park was built.
Councillors Vince Hunt and Paul Milner both expressed fears that lorries would not use a designated route but instead drive through Oswestry town centre.
Councillor Hunt said that he was pleased that the application no longer included plans for a huge wind turbine.
"My worry is how we are going to ensure that the lorries that should use the alternative route and temporary access don't instead simply drive through the middle of Oswestry. How are we going to police this."
"I hope Shropshire Council will be making representations to Powys County Council about the planning application for the energy park."
Councillor Rob Macey that while the energy park was within entirely within Wales and the application for the park would be debated by Powys County Council, the temporary access road was wholly within England.
"It the energy park is not given the go-ahead this road may not be necessary."
He said that while the temporary road would be built on a farm access and along field boundaries, there were general concerns about the general route to the site.
"The route up to the Racecourse and over the top is a small, twisting road and I have been in talks with the developers about the use of this road and a traffic management plan to help safety."
