Newtown bypass: Route ‘needs tributes to the famous’

Peter Webber, the owner of Newtown-based Cellpath wants to see statues of Welsh social reformer Robert Owen and fashion designer Laura Ashley placed on roundabouts on the route, to make the construction unique to Newtown.

Mr Webber, whose company supplies products for histopathology and cytology, said discussions on the plans are at an early stage but he is hoping the plans come to fruition.

He said: "If you go along the Shrewsbury bypass you wouldn't know where you are, but if there was a statue of Charles Darwin there you would think, I must be near his birth place.

"That is what I think would make the Newtown bypass much better.

"Statutes of the greats to come from the area, like Robert Owen or Laura Ashley.

"It wouldn't just be another bypass being built which is the same as all the others.

"It would make it unique to the area, and it would celebrate the bypass being completed and the regeneration of the town."

Laura Ashley created one of the country's most successful home-ware and fashion companies from Mid Wales, with the firm's famous floral prints leading to the creation of a hundreds of jobs in the region.

Mr Webber said discussions are yet to take place on how much the project would cost, or where any statues would be placed.

According to Mr Webber, other famous figures that could appear on the roundabouts near the bypass route are industrialist and politician David Davies from Llandinam, and Pryce-Pryce Jones, who started the Welsh Industrial Warehouse and was the first person to sell by mail order.

Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies backed the plans and said he would like to see the prominent local figures celebrated.

He said: "Peter is full of good ideas and this is one of them.

"To have significant people who have contributed to the history of the area would certainly be unique.

"At the moment it is obviously in a very early stage, but it would be fantastic to see the faces of some of the local greats.

"I think it is quite a good idea."

Last month it was confirmed that the work on the Newtown bypass was running ahead of schedule, and could be finished in time for Christmas 2018.

Mr Webber added: "We would have to look in to funding and raising money for the project, but things are at an early stage and there is a lot of work left to be done."

Last month Newtown County Councillor Joy Jones hailed the progress being made on the bypass and said that it would be hugely beneficial for the area.

She said: "The difference it is going to make to people in the area is massive.

"They had a target for early in May 2019, however they are more than on track and are hopeful that it will be completed in late 2018, which is great news.

"The quicker it is done for everyone the better, so they can see what it is and reap the full benefits of it."