Final figure for Shrewsbury North West Relief Road will be known before Christmas says council

A final figure for the scheme's costs will be included in the FBC which was originally planned to be presented at Shropshire Council's full council meeting this month.

However, the council says its preference is to "complete the planning permission first", by meeting the recommendations of the Northern Planning Committee made in February this year.

Shropshire council adds it is continuing to work with stakeholders and its partners to ensure that the required section 106s are agreed, and that once this work is completed, planning notice will be issued.

Extra time has "enabled the council to go back out to contract bidders to explore ways to achieve better value for money on the scheme's costs", says the local authority.

Last month, Shrewsbury's new Labour MP, Julia Buckley argued that the money already secured for the North West Relief Road - around £54m from the Department for Transport (DfT) - should be used on different projects.

Dan Morris, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for highways, said: "Back in October 2023, planning committee resolved to issue planning permission notice, subject to agreement of section 106 agreements, and satisfactory discharge of conditions. It's a very complex scheme so and there are still a few remaining issues to complete before the FBC is ready to come to council.

"We're very nearly there though and expect this to be before Christmas, and subject to approval will be shared with the Department for Transport."