Shropshire Star

Shropshire Council 'building a strategy' for A5 corridor

Shropshire Council has defended its work to build a strategic plan for the future of the road system around Oswestry and the area's economy.

Published
Mile End roundabout

Oswestry Civic Society recently called on the unitary authority to develop a long term vision for the A5 corridor through the county rather than piecemeal development.

The society says that news of proposed improvements to the A5/A483 junction at Mile End on the edge of Oswestry is the latest example of piecemeal planning of land use, economic development and transport without any overall long term vision.

Today the council said that it was leading a number of local, regional and national organisations working together to deliver potential housing and employment land developments in Oswestry.

"This work includes improvements to Mile End roundabout, and supports the key priorities identified within Shropshire Council’s Economic Growth Strategy and the emerging Oswestry Economic Growth Strategy, currently in development," a council spokesman said.

"At the same time, Shropshire Council is also working in partnership with Oswestry Town Council and Oswestry BID through the Future Oswestry group to help deliver activities and projects that will benefit the town, its residents and its businesses and looking at the wider opportunities along the A5/A483 corridor to support the town to develop and grow sustainably and collectively."

In January last year the civic society met to look at the future of the town in 30 years time saying the population of the area could be as much as 35,000.

It suggested developing an A5 corridor with Park Hall, Gobowen and Whittington benefitting from better transport links.