Shropshire Council leader pledges to get major projects done in 2021

Peter Nutting said his authority is working on major projects in towns across the county, with plans for Ellesmere, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Ludlow, Shifnal, Whitchurch, and Bishop's Castle.

The Shropshire Council leader said the priority would be securing progress on Shrewsbury's North West Relief Road, with an application expected to be submitted in February.

And he said firm proposals would be drawn up for a new town-centre base, with the intention to move out of Shirehall and set up either the Pride Hill Centre or in a new build as part of the Riverside development project – which is set to transform that area of the town.

He also backed the council's new housing company Cornovii to help fill the gap in affordable housing with plans for 500 new homes over the next five years, including at Shrewsbury, St Martin's and Oswestry.

He said: "Shropshire Council has a number of projects on the go at the moment. From my perspective at the moment the priority is delivering the North West Relief Road.

"The planning application will go in in spring and if we get it done quickly there is no reason we could not be driving on it in two to three years time."

The project has proved controversial with environmental campaigners arguing against the plan, but Councillor Nutting said he believed it would allow opportunities to improve Shrewsbury's town centre.

He said: "We think it will reduce traffic in the loop of the river by 30 per cent and we can bring in more cycling schemes, pedestrianisation, and make the town centre a more pleasant place to work in and visit."

Regarding the proposals for Shirehall and moving the council into the town centre Councillor Nutting said: "The Shirehall and the shopping centres are a combined project now. It is likely that we will leave Shirehall and set up in the town centre.

"It could be in part of the the Pride Hill centre, or it could be at Riverside.

"At the moment we are focussing on getting the figures together for the lower floors of the Pride Hill Centre but we have not completed our investigations yet so we need to do more work on that."

Councillor Nutting highlighted other projects expected to be complete, or underway next year including refurbished Ludlow Assembly Rooms, work on Oswestry Innovation Park, Bishops Castle and Tern Valley business parks as well as expanding the business park in Ellesmere.

He also expressed hope that a judicial review over plans for a new health centre in Whitchurch would be settled, allowing the project to proceed.

He said: "We have to rebalance the economy and we have got to keep young people here so we need to provide jobs and homes for them. A lot of the work at Shropshire Council is focussed on providing those jobs and homes for people.

"We want a hugely skilled younger workforce to take the county forward."