Shropshire Council knocked back over £4m bid to buy Shrewsbury car park
Ambitions for Shropshire Council to buy a car park for £4 million have stalled after the landowner decided not to sell the site.
The authority said earlier this week that negotiations were being held over the potential purchase of the NCP car park on Wyle Cop in Shrewsbury, but announced at a meeting on Thursday that a deal had not been reached.
The council said it had been interested in the site because of its “regeneration potential”, as part of wider plans to redevelop and improve the town centre.
Money for the acquisition was set aside in the council’s capital strategy, but questions had been raised by the opposition Liberal Democrat group about what the plans were for the site.
At a meeting of the council’s performance management scrutiny committee, Councillor Rob Wilson, who represents Copthorne, asked how the plan to buy the car park fit in with the Big Town Plan, which sets out aspirations to reduce traffic in the town centre and discourage car parking within the river loop.
Tim Smith, assistant director of commercial services, said: “The council’s main interest in the NCP car park in Shrewsbury relates to its future economic regeneration potential, being placed in a gateway position to the east of the town and within the Big Town Plan development area.
“The council owns land adjacent to the site.
“Council officers embarked on negotiations with the landowner following full council approval via negotiation with the appointed agents.”
However Mr Smith said discussions had now ended without a sale being agreed.
He said: “It appears that the owner no longer wishes to sell the site at this point in time.
“It will continue to be used as a car park in this location under current lease arrangements as it remains in private ownership.”
