Shrewsbury service station approval is 'failure in system' after gaining only three votes

Shropshire Council's northern planning committee granted permission to EuroGarages to build a service station off the A5 near Churncote roundabout - which is where one end of the controversial Shrewsbury North West Relief Road would start if that proposed project went ahead.

Out of nine councillors who voted at the meeting this week, three were in favour, one was against and five abstained from voting either way for the service station.

Bowbrook's Lib Dem councillor Alex Wagner said he felt the relief road project "clouded judgement" of committee members when the vote was made.

"I have never heard of a planning committee decision where most of the councillors wouldn't even vote. It seems like a failure in the system that this has been allowed to go through.

"There is a growing gap between decisions being made on the outskirts of Shrewsbury and the views expressed by residents. In my view there is also a diminishing quality of applications, as it seems the pursuit of the North West Road has clouded judgement from council leadership."

He added: “Anyone who lives in the Bicton Heath area or accesses Shrewsbury from the west knows how congested the Churncote roundabout can get. It’s hard to see how a new services on the A5 can do anything but make the situation worse.

“Many residents and local bodies, including Bicton Parish Council, have made their views very clear.

“I really don’t feel that EuroGarages have done enough to address those local concerns or really understand why people are upset."

The applicant pledged to provide £80,000 toward the North West Relief Road, and the service station is expected to bring around 21 jobs.

The site will feature a petrol station and a drive-through coffee shop, while the applicant has also promised to commission a piece of artwork on the corner of the site facing the roundabout and create a wildflower meadow.