Depot flattened for new homes
Days after Shrewsbury was crowned the best looking large town in the country by Britain in Bloom judges, one of the gateways to the town has been left looking like a war zone. But the flattened site of the former MEB depot at Ditherington is not bad news for the county town, but rather one more sign of its regeneration.
After years of neglect the once bustling depot had turned into a derelict eyesore and developers now hope to breathe new life into the area by building almost 200 new homes on the site
It became surplus to MEB requirements in 1977 and was put on the market.
But despite a big marketing exercise, with national and local advertisements, the only interest shown in the site was by housing developers.
Managers at Persimmon Homes have said that the plans, which they hope to submit shortly, are likely to include around 190 homes, ranging from low rise apartments to five bedroom houses. Thirty per cent of the homes built will be affordable.
Councillor Malcolm Price, who represents the Battlefield & Heathgates ward on Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council said that the demolition could not come soon enough for residents in the area.
"It is absolutely wonderful. People have been waiting for years to see it demolished," he said.
Before being taken on by Persimmon, the former MEB plot was once considered as a potential site for the borough council's headquarters.
But there were grumbles from staff who did not want to move away from the town centre and were worried about possible health risks from overhead power lines and other electrical equipment remaining at the site.
Bulldozers moved onto the site last month to start removing buildings including the old telecoms centre, a petrol station and two industrial units.
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