Waitrose store in Shrewsbury set for go-ahead

Plans for a £40 million Waitrose supermarket, garden centre and shopping parade in Shrewsbury, creating up to 250 jobs, are being recommended for approval, it was revealed today.

The Oteley Road scheme will go before planners next Thursday with a recommendation from Shropshire Council officers to give it the go-ahead.

If approved, a 30,000 sq ft Waitrose supermarket and a parade of seven shops would be built.

The existing Percy Thrower's Garden Centre would be relocated to new 60,000 sq ft purpose-built premises on the same site.

And 560 parking spaces, 102 cycle spaces, a new access road off Oteley Road would also be created.

It comes despite some nearby residents claiming the traffic created by the proposal would leave them 'marooned' in their own homes.

And developer Morbaine, which is behind £10 million Hereford Road store plans, has also lodged an objection to the Waitrose supermarket.

In a report to committee, Stuart Thomas, central area development management at Shropshire Council, said the food store would not impact significantly on the 'vitality' and 'viability' of the town centre.