Traffic 'nightmare' warning on Shrewsbury restaurant plans

The Frankie & Benny's and Chiquito's restaurants planned for land at Battlefield Road in northern Shrewsbury would cause "nightmare" congestion, it has been claimed.

Elected Shropshire Council members claimed the poor access to the site would put motorists at "serious risk" of injury.

Members voted at a planning meeting yesterday to defer the application while developers are given opportunity to change the access, but the committee was on the brink of refusing it.

Up to 60 jobs would be created by the Restaurant Group, which is behind the plans but councillors questioned whether they were the right kind of jobs in what they said was a mainly industrial area.

The land is currently occupied by the Gunn JCB depot, which employs 15 people, but it would be relocated to another part of the town if the new development proceeds.

Peter Nutting, councillor for Copthorne and former Shrewsbury Town Council leader, said he wanted a clearer traffic management system in place but also criticised the nature of the restaurants, saying: "This proposal looks like the Americanisation of the outskirts of Shrewsbury."

Shropshire councillor Dean Carroll, for the Bagley ward, said: "I have very serious concerns about the exit and entrance to the site, particularly the exit. I firmly believe this would put members of the public at serious risk turning right across multiple lanes of traffic at rush hour."

Councillor Miles Kenny said: "It would be horrendous and a nightmare getting out of there. I know this provides jobs but are these the kind of jobs we want to see?"

Council officers admitted the provision for a 100-space car park meant it would get busy at peak times, but argued the majority of people using it would do so outside of peak times.