Big Town Plan is thrilling, says Shrewsbury's deputy mayor
Plans to bring Shrewsbury in to the 21st century have been warmly welcomed – being dubbed 'thrilling' by the town's deputy mayor.
The Big Town Plan has been developed by Shrewsbury BID, Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council and sets out a vision for how the town could look by 2036.
It proposes a number of ideas for the future of the town, including a riverside promenade, a creative hub, tree-lined streets and the redevelopment of the Riverside Shopping Centre to create living spaces, offices and restaurants in a 'riverside quarter'.
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Councillor Phil Gillam, deputy mayor said: “This is a tremendously exciting vision for the development of Shrewsbury, bringing new life to areas that have become tired and redundant, but at the same time respecting the history and heritage of this beautiful town of ours.
“All the way through the process, the views of local people have been taken on board, and of course this process continues with plenty more opportunities for people to have their say. Many of the ideas presented here are bold and genuinely thrilling.”
The plan will now go out to public consultation from August 1.
The final draft was released yesterday and among some of the ideas mentioned are the redirecting of traffic from Smithfield Road through Raven Meadows which would allow Smithfield to become 'a pedestrian priority promenade'.
Shrewsbury Town Council has already thrown its weight behind the scheme. Council leader Alan Mosley said: "It presents a series of realistic, practical and sustainable aspirations, together with a clear plan of how we can get there."
Seb Slater, from Shrewsbury BID, said: "This final plan reshapes the physical public realm and matches it with an outstanding public experience, revolutionising movement around the town and attracting vital investment."
Last September, a pop-up shop was launched in the heart of Shrewsbury to garner the views of the public. More than 5,000 people visited the shop on Wyle Cop to hear more about the work and give their input.
Councillor Nic Laurens, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for economic growth, said: "We have taken these views and used them to create and shape what I feel is a really exciting plan for the future."
