New ‘dumbbell’ design for Mile End roundabout in Oswestry revealed

A proposed design for improvements to Mile End Roundabout in Oswestry has been published, ahead of a planning application being prepared later this year.

The work is to be carried out following the award of £9.3m from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) to improve the capacity of the road network on the A5 at Mile End and improve the viability of planned housing developments.

The proposed new ‘dumbbell’ design for Mile End roundabout

The funding award follows a funding bid by Shropshire Council in 2018.

Work undertaken so far on the remodelling of the strategic road network at Mile End as part of the HIF proposal has resulted in an innovative design which would open up land opportunities, and minimise disruption on the road network while the improvements are carried out.

Under the plans, a second adjoining rounadbout would be built alongside the existing Mile End roundabout and cater for traffic using the A5 northbound and southbound.

The remodelling of the Mile End roundabout and road network will accelerate delivery of the Oswestry Innovation Park through improved access and infrastructure arrangements.

The proposed design is pedestrian and cyclist-friendly, and allows for all the cycling and walking movements being made in and around the area at present. If there is demand in future for extra pedestrian and cycle access – eg. once the Innovation Park is developed – additional infrastructure would be provided.

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for economic growth, said:

“The development of housing and employment land within Oswestry has been heavily constrained by the existing capacity of the road network.

“These planned improvements will improve the capacity of the road network on the A5 at Mile End, and improve the viability of planned housing developments.

“Previous improvements to the Mile End junction have addressed only existing traffic issues, and there has since been a significant increase in traffic unrelated to proposed developments, so these further improvements are needed to bring forward planned housing and employment.”

Steve Davenport, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways and parking, said:

“We’ve been working with Homes England and Highways England to agree the proposed design of the Mile End improvements. We’ve come up with an innovative ‘dumbbell style’ solution, which opens up land opportunities and would also minimise disruption on the road network while the improvements are carried out. We welcome people’s comments about the design, before a planning application is prepared later this year.”

A number of local, regional and national organisations are working together to deliver potential housing and employment land developments in Oswestry, which is Shropshire’s second largest market town.

Led by Shropshire Council, the ‘Oswestry Gateway’ project involves Homes England, Highways England, The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Oswestry Town Council, the Environment Agency, Oswestry BID and many other key stakeholders. It includes the improvements to Mile End roundabout, the development of the Oswestry Innovation Park, and the delivery of housing and employment land.

This collaborative work supports the key priorities identified within Shropshire Council’s Economic Growth Strategy and the emerging Oswestry Economic Growth Strategy, currently in development.

For more information, go to www.shropshire.gov.uk/oswestrygateway.

Further information

The planned improvements through the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) grant only relate to the road junction improvements to support the planned housing developments and are subject to final approval by Homes England and Highways England.