Almost 2,400 have their say on Shrewsbury masterplan
Almost 2,400 people have had their say on the future of Shrewsbury during a consultation on how the town might evolve over the coming years.
The formal consultation period into the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan masterplan vision, which sets out a range of aspirations and ideas for how Shrewsbury could change, closed in March.
The Big Town Plan partnership says early indications showed that 81 per cent were positive or neutral about the proposals.
The plan features a number of bold ideas including creating a riverside park in place of the busy Smithfield Road, making more use of the railway viaduct at Abbey Foregate, and reducing the amount of traffic in the town centre.
Critics have raised concerns that the plans would not be in-keeping with the town's historic beauty, as well as worries over the potential loss of the town centre bus station.
The partnership insists it wants to make the most of the town's history, and Shropshire Council leader Peter Nutting recently said the current movement strategy in the Big Town Plan needs to be scrapped and re-done.
Tim Pritchard, of Shropshire Council, which along with Shrewsbury BID and Shrewsbury Town Council makes up the Big Town Plan Partnership, said the responses were now being analysed.
“We want to say a big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to consider the masterplan vision and share their opinions,” he said.
“This is very much the start of the process, and we are now working hard to analyse the feedback we have received, and there are already some areas which are clearly prompting more debate than others.
“For instance, the comments would seem to clarify and confirm the challenge of finding a solution for how people travel into and around the town centre, including public transport, which will be a focus of some more detailed work later this year.
Evolve
“However, the overall response has been extremely encouraging and gives us all a strong remit to continue the process.”
Helen Ball, Shrewsbury Town Council clerk, added: “Obviously the way we have communicated so far has been affected by the pandemic, so the consultation has had to be almost solely based online.
“However, we appreciate that not everyone can access the internet or get involved with online sessions, so we would very much like to have more face-to-face contact with people later in the summer if we can.
“The Big Town Plan needs to be owned by the community so it is vital that as many people as possible are involved with the process.”
James Handley, a director of Shrewsbury BID, said: “We expect the plan will become a useful tool in helping to shape the form and type of development in Shrewsbury, as well as encouraging investment within a co-ordinated framework
“This round of consultation, and the response from people who attended the discussion sessions as part of the Big Town Plan Festival, shows there is a clear desire from the community for positive change.
“We are not talking about suddenly transforming our town, it’s about continuing to work together to ensure Shrewsbury can steadily evolve for the better over the next 20 years and beyond.”
For more information and to view the Big Town Plan Masterplan Vision, visit www.shrewsburybigtownplan.org
