Council urged to throw out land bid

Oswestry Borough Council's leader is spearheading a campaign to urge Shropshire County Council to throw out a bid to register former railway land in Oswestry as a town green.

The plea is being made by Councillor David Lloyd, despite a Government inspector last week recommending registration following an application by two Oswestry resident.

Councillor Lloyd said the five acres of land off the Gobowen Road was in danger of being designated forever a wasteland instead of being used for the wellbeing of the people of Oswestry.

Last night members of the council's scrutiny committee agreed to write to the county council calling on it to set aside the inspector's recommendation, which seemed to dash hopes that the second phase of health facilities for Oswestry could be built on the land.

Councillor Lloyd is part of the Health 4 Oswestry group that worked with Shropshire Primary Care Trust and Advantage West Midlands to develop a health village plan for the land. He said: "But for the actions of a few individuals set on seeing the land registered, part of the health village would be up and running now."