Shrewsbury town centre road to partially close for five days while work begins on new park
Part of a main route through Shrewsbury will close for up to five days as work begins on the first phase of a major regeneration scheme.
Shropshire Council says the A458 Smithfield Road in Shrewsbury town centre is set to be reduced to two lanes for almost a week, to allow contractors to get started on building a new public park.
Yesterday, the authority said work had begun on a new public green space on Roushill, set to be built as the first phase of its Smithfield Riverside redevelopment scheme to regenerate an area near the Welsh Bridge in Shrewsbury town centre.
Contractors Morgan Sindall have now moved onto site, and say drainage and groundworks for the new park known as Riverside Gardens will be getting underway shortly, with completion on the project expected by Autumn 2026.
But the authority says as work begins, they will need to close part of Smithfield Road for up to five days starting this weekend, on Sunday, September 21.
Shropshire Council says the road, which is a pinch-point for through traffic heading around Shrewsbury town centre, will be reduced to two lanes for around 200 metres while drainage work is carried out.
"We appreciate that a lane closure will cause some disruption, however we will ensure that this work is completed as quickly as possible," said Councillor Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport and economic growth.
Planning permission for the new public park was granted in 2024, alongside permission to demolish the former Riverside Shopping Centre and medical practice fronting onto Smithfield Road.
The new public park represents the first phase in Shropshire Council's £350m regeneration scheme for the Smithfield area of Shrewsbury, with outline plans for three large buildings which are planned to be built as part of the wider regeneration scheme for the 4-hectare site approved earlier this year
Detailed plans for mixed-use commercial, residential and office developments are expected to be brought forward in future, with the development expected to be completed by around 2033.
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