Eco villages and electric cars in futuristic vision for Oswestry area
A futuristic view of a Shropshire market town has been revealed.
New eco-villages, a country park around its ancient hill fort and driverless electric vehicles are all part of the project plan.
Oswestry’s growth shouldn’t be field-by-field with faceless housing estates but planned many years in advance, according to Oswestry and District Civic Society.
Society members are urging Shropshire Council to look at the bigger picture when planning.
At a meeting in the town, society chairman Saffron Rainey said they wanted to spark a discussion, and encourage Shropshire Council to take a longer term view of the area.
Mr Rainey said Shropshire Council saw the A5 corridor in the west of the county – between the town and Gobowen – as a focus for growth.
He said: “In 15 years Oswestry’s population will be 24,000, Gobowen, 3,750. By 2050 the whole community will be between 34,000 and 35.000.
“With 15-year plans, development happens field-by-field with no idea of the big picture.
"If the town grows only by disjointed housing estates they will have no social facilities, poor or non-existent public transport.
"They will be far from shops and they won’t fit with the low carbon life we must begin to lead.”
The society say growth could be far more effective in making Oswestry a successful and thriving town.
Mr Rainey said: “Housing and major employers, particularly the Orthopaedic Hospital, could be effectively linked by good public transport.
"All parts of Oswestry could have good access to the main railway and a strong case could be made for improvements to the A5 to reduce congestion around the town.
“Growing Oswestry in two new villages, and some southward growth of Gobowen – this is a way we can foster communities rather than faceless estates.
“The first village would be Park Hall, capitalising on its existing sports, social and employment.
"The second would be at Middleton, capitalising on its position between the main employment sites proposed by Shropshire Council.
"We could make them ‘eco’ villages, based on solar power, clever drainage, cycling and electric cars.
“Oswestry, Gobowen, the two villages, the employment sites, the hospital and the main railway would all be linked by a reserved public transport route.
"Modern technology could allow driverless electric pods to do the job while the heritage railway already plans a connection between Gobowen and the hospital.”
