More details needed about cycle access to Oswestry homes, developer told
A developer has been told it needs to provide full details of cycle access as part of a scheme to bring dozens of homes to Oswestry.
Cornovii Developments has been granted outline permission for a new road access to a development of about 89 homes planned for agricultural land off Shrewsbury Road, close to the Mile End roundabout.
It could ultimately be part of a development of up to 900 homes on the undeveloped area on a key gateway into town, which will also include community facilities and public open space.
A footbridge connecting the area with the new Oswestry Innovation Park on the other side of the A5 has already been constructed.
On Tuesday (June 17), Shropshire Council’s Northern Planning Committee discussed the access road onto the site off Shrewsbury Road, which would provide outline permission for a new road onto the development 110 metres from Mile End.
Full details of the road, which would serve the dozens of homes Cornovii plans rather than the wider development, would be confirmed by a further planning application at a later date, with specific details also yet to be established on the layout, scale, design and landscaping of the development.
However, Councillor Julian Dean, who was chairing the meeting, said he would have liked more details about the cycle access.
“It doesn’t feel to me that we’ve taken sufficient account of the local cycling and walking infrastructure strategy, which should include a route out and into this site, enabling people not to tackle the roundabout,” he said.
“While I understand this is an outline application, the frustration for members will be that wasn’t addressed when the site was initially allocated, and now we can’t address it at this stage because it’s an outline application.
“So effectively it’s been left at the full application to address what is really an access point. I am alerting the developer that something we will want to see is really good access.
“It’s a 10-minute cycle ride to the centre of Oswestry – that will need to be a preferred travel option for people living on this site. We will need to see a safe and secure facility that children are going to be comfortable to use and parents will be comfortable for them to use.”
Councillor Andy Davis also asked how an additional road would cope with increased congestion.
In response, planning officer Ollie Thomas said the applicant has submitted a Transport Assessment, which includes pedestrian and cycle connections.
“The constraint this site is dealing with is the proximity to the roundabout and how pedestrians and cyclists are maneuvered away from the roundabout traffic,” said Mr Thomas.
“When we’re testing for highway reasons, what we are looking at is if it’s going to result in a severe impact. We’re not going to say it will be a betterment or a severe impact on the highway network.
“Reserved matters will be where internal arrangements come forward.”
