Become part of history and name a new street in Oswestry

News from our partners Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing

Members of the public have the opportunity to become part of Oswestry’s rich history by naming a new street in the town.

The public competition, run by Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing, has been launched to find a new name for their new housing development off Swan Lane.

Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing are building 19 new homes on the site, and it is part of their larger affordable homes programme to build 68 new properties in the Oswestry and Bridgnorth areas.

As part of the redevelopment, the housing organisation is asking local residents to help rename the street by sending in their suggestions.  The winner will receive a £100 worth of high street vouchers which will be donated by Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing’s building contractor, Speller Metcalfe.

In general, new streets should be named after people, places or events associated with the local area.  Proposed names should meet one of the following criteria:

• To commemorate local history, places, events or culture, and in particular any that pertain to the site
• To honour and commemorate noteworthy persons associated with the local area, or Shropshire as a whole
• To celebrate cultural diversity in Shropshire
• To commemorate national and international noteworthy persons
• To commemorate national and international events
• To strengthen neighbourhood identity
• To recognise native wildlife, flora, fauna or natural features related to the community or Shropshire as a whole.

Jason O’Donoghue, Development and Sustainability Officer for Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing, said:

“The Affordable Housing Programme has allowed us to build much-needed family homes in Oswestry.  This competition is a great opportunity for local people to get involved in the programme by suggesting a new name for the new housing development.  The chosen winner will not only become part of the town’s history, but also win a great prize of £100 worth of high street vouchers.”

Vince Hunt, local Shropshire Councillor for Oswestry West, added:

“This redevelopment is going to be a breath of fresh air for the local communities.  I am delighted that our residents have the opportunity to put forward ideas for the streetnaming competition.”

For further details, terms and conditions and to enter the competition, go to http://www.starhousing.org.uk/swan-rename/

If you don’t have access to a computer you can call 01743 210206 for an entry form and copy of the streetnaming guidelines.

Closing date for suggestions is Monday 21 April 2014 at 5pm.

For more information about Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing visit the website at www.starhousing.org.uk.  You can also follow us on Facebook by searching for “Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing” or on twitter @star_housing. 

Further information

The Affordable Housing Programme led by Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing on behalf of Shropshire Council has been made possible through funding from the Homes and Community Agency, Section 106 and the council’s Housing Revenue Account.  Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing took over the management of the council’s housing stock in April 2013. 

The programme will mean the development of 43 new properties for rent and 25 properties for low cost home ownership in and around the Oswestry and Bridgnorth areas.

Properties will comprise of 28 three bedroom homes and 40 two bedroom homes and will be built across 15 different sites which include:

Oswestry Area

• Swan Lane – 15 x 3 bedroomed houses and 4 x 2 bedroomed house (one of which will be a bungalow especially designed in conjunction with Transhouse for people with spinal cord injuries)
• The Willows, West Felton – 2 x 3 bedroomed houses and 1 x 2 bedroomed bungalow (these properties will be ‘Lifetime Homes’, whereby they are easily adaptable to the changing needs of the  resident)
• Gatacre Avenue, Oswestry – 4 x 2 bedroomed houses
• Sefton Place, Oswestry – 4 x 2 bedroomed houses
• Western Avenue, Whittington – 3 x 2 bedroomed houses
• Marshfields, Maesbury – 2 x 2 bedroomed houses
• Hammonds Place, Gobowen – 4 x 2 bedroomed houses
• Cottage Lane, St Martins – 2 x 2 bedroomed houses
• Gate Street, Oswestry – 2 x 2 bedroomed houses
• Fitzalan Close, Babbinswood – 2 x 3 bedroomed houses.