Shrewsbury riverside 'will be flood resilient and pleasure to visit'

That will be the result of the riverside transformation in Shrewsbury town centre, according to planners.

The Smithfield Riverside Strategic Development Framework, which looks into the transformation of Smithfield Road from a highway to a parkland destination, will be discussed at next Monday's Shropshire Council cabinet meeting, and members will be asked to authorise the creation of a procurement and delivery strategy.

The riverside development is one of the major parts of the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan, one of the aims of which is to redevelop several parts of the town centre to create a more attractive place for visitors.

The cabinet will be recommended to agree that the development framework will be subject to a six-week consultation, which the officers would then report back on for approval, and for £250,000 to develop a procurement and delivery strategy for the site's redevelopment.

A fresh document laying out a more in-depth plan is expected in the coming days.

In the Smithfield Riverside vision statement, it says: "For more than a thousand years the dramatic loop of the River Severn has inscribed Shrewsbury’s historic centre. As Shrewsbury grows over the next few decades, it must adapt to the climate emergency and to the rapidly evolving patterns of living, working and leisure.

"The town centre will grow too, possibly beyond the loop of the river, and over time, it will evolve. Its attractions are manifest, everything set within a short walk or cycle, marked by wonderful buildings, streets and public spaces, increasingly traffic-free, and every part framed by river. It is the picture of an extraordinary zero-carbon place.

"In our vision for Smithfield Riverside this part of town dramatically changes its role. A part of the town, that has largely been forgotten about for centuries, suddenly takes centre stage, becoming a unique destination within this wonderful historic town.

"The river is the destination, where Smithfield Gardens replaces a busy road, where what was the back of the town, now becomes the route to a dramatic new bridge over the river to Frankwell.

"An area that has always been vulnerable to flooding is now designed to be more resilient and adaptable such events. It will be distinctive but deeply rooted in Shrewsbury, reflecting its character and knitting into its everyday life.

"It will be a pleasure to walk or cycle in Riverside, whether you are just passing through or, more likely, you are dwelling in its many high-quality public space or dipping your toes in the River Severn. Riverside will be a place where visitors and residents will be drawn to, making the most of its fantastic river setting and its many cafés bars and restaurants.

"A place for businesses to lay down roots and grow, as well as for communities to flourish in a vibrant town centre setting. What better opportunity will there be to live and work and spend your leisure time in an entirely new part of the town centre, with everything you need."