Still time to have your say on the future of Shrewsbury

Nearly 1,000 comments have been made as part of a consultation into the future of Shrewsbury – and there is still time to have your say.

The Shrewsbury Big Town Plan’s masterplan vision for the future development of the town was published in January, and the first round of consultation is open until March 3.

A range of exciting and innovative ideas for how Shrewsbury could evolve is set out in the vision – including options for creating a riverside park in place of the busy Smithfield Road, making more use of the railway viaduct at Abbey Foregate, and reducing the amount of traffic in the town centre.

A series of discussions and debates took place as part of the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Festival, looking at different aspects of the plan, and they are all available to watch on demand at festival.shrewsburybigtownplan.org

The Big Town Plan Partnership, made up of Shropshire Council, Shrewsbury Town Council and Shrewsbury BID (Business Improvement District), is urging people to get involved.

Councillor Peter Nutting, leader of Shropshire Council, said:

“It’s vital that people read through the masterplan vision to get a good understanding of the kinds of options that are being considered.

“This is very much the beginning of the conversation, and we have been delighted with how many people engaged with the Big Town Plan Festival, and are now getting involved in the consultation process.

“To get nearly 1,000 comments within the first few weeks has been fantastic, and we are urging as many people as possible to have their say before this round of consultation closes on March 3.”

Leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, Alan Mosley, added that all comments made on the consultation website were open to the public to ensure the debate was transparent and inclusive.

He said:

“The whole point of this stage of the process is to gather people’s opinions and thoughts on the ideas which are presented in the masterplan vision.

“We got a clear indication during the festival that most people are excited and positive about the future of Shrewsbury, and that’s coming through in the comments being made on the consultation website too.

“I hope people can take some time to look through the information, which is very accessible on the website, and make their views known.”

James Handley, a director of Shrewsbury BID, said every comment made was an important part of the process.

He said:

“It’s important that as many local businesses and residents as possible have their say on the options and ideas being presented, so that it can be developed according to the needs and priorities of the local community.”

To get involved go to www.shrewsburybigtownplan.org