Expansion plans for Shrewsbury's Attingham Park recommended for approval

The scheme for Attingham Park at Atcham, near Shrewsbury, includes a new hub building with a visitor welcome area, cafe, food/beverage kiosks, a kitchen, toilets, welfare facilities, and bike hire/maintenance.

A car park with electric vehicle charging is also included, along with associated infrastucture and overflow parking, while there will be an “interpretation” and refurbishment of a former Second World War runway and aerodrome.

Elsewhere, the project features new and restored site routes, 13km of trails, wildlife viewing and children’s play areas, cycle skills tracks, new green corridors, orchard/wildflower planting, a wetland habitat, and foul water and sustainable drainage systems.

The proposed hub will comprise a core area of around 27.5 hectares that will contain new buildings and associated car park and infrastructure.

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The principal access for all visitors is expected to be off the B4394 via the Atcham Business Park access road. From there, people can explore the hub site before continuing to discover the wider path network and landscape.

Shropshire Council’s Southern Planning Committee will consider the proposal next Tuesday (January 27). If approved, it is hoped it would attract around 350,000 visitors a year by 2036.

Shropshire Council’s highways team has asked for a financial contribution of £40,000 towards safety improvements at Norton crossroads.

The equivalent department at Telford & Wrekin, meanwhile, is requesting £35,384.24 towards an improvement scheme at the junction of the B5061 Holyhead Road and Roman Road, adjacent to Junction 7 of the M54.

It has also highlighted there is a narrow bridge over the railway line on the B4394 at Walcot, and further road link analysis is needed both on a weekday and at the weekend, rather than just at peak times.

Shropshire Council’s ecology department, meanwhile, has requested an estimated monitoring fee of £29,448.25 for the habitat creation.

A total of 37 public representations were received, including from three parish councils, the local member, and solicitors representing Hereford Storage and Royal Mail, who operate from Atcham Business Park.

The majority (27) object to the scheme, with people concerned about the increase in traffic, the impact in the business park, and how it would affect wildlife and the environment. Those in support, meanwhile, highlight that it would broaden opportunities for many more people to be active in the green and open spaces at Attingham.

Shropshire Council planning officer, Lynn Parker said that the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that significant weight be placed on the need to support economic growth and productivity, taking into account both local business needs and wider opportunities for development.

She is therefore recommending that the proposal is approved, subject to conditions and Section 106 contributions being agreed.