Highways England backs supermarket plan for Oswestry Smithfield site
Plans to build a supermarket and garden centre on the outskirts of Oswestry have received the backing of Highways England.
Morrisons, which has a lease on the former Smithfield Market site on Shrewsbury Road, re-submitted plans in July for a food store, garden centre, petrol station, car wash and 'retail pods'.
Plans for a cinema and shop complex were scrapped in 2015, however the land is set to be developed after a re-submission of the application.
And supermarket bosses were given a timely boost this week, when Highways England backed the plans for the site and offered no objection to the traffic plan.
Under the new plans, Morrisons want a roundabout onto Shrewsbury Road at the entrance to the site.
It would be at the current junction with Shrewsbury Road and College Road.
There will then be a smaller mini-roundabout on the supermarket side with access to a petrol station, a large car park, and the supermarket at the back end of the site.
Patrick Thomas, asset manager for Highways England said the body offered no objection to the plans.
It will come as a boost to Morrisons, which leases the land from Oswestry Town Council, and already has a store in Oswestry between Oswald Road and Beatrice Road.
There were grand plans for a cinema, McDonalds and Frankie and Benny's restaurant on the old agricultural market site, however plans collapsed when Cineworld pulled out of the agreement.
A report from architects Whittam Cox said the proposed new development would have a positive impact on Oswestry.
It said: "It is considered that the provision of a new Morrisons store will enhance the retail offer of Oswestry, providing a larger, modern supermarket on an easily accessible, brownfield site.
"Given the previous approval, the principle of a food store at this location has therefore been found to be acceptable."
It is not known when the plans will go before the council's planning committee, or when the supermarket hopes to begin development.
