£3.6m Shifnal town centre enhancement scheme set to begin

How the street scene may look in a year’s time with improved high quality stone paving, new street furniture and a much more user friendly feel to the town centre.

A £3.6m scheme to improve and enhance Shifnal town centre is set to begin next Monday, 6 September 2021,and be completed in autumn 2022.

The work will enhance the existing infrastructure by improving – and in some areas reducing – traffic flow, and creating a more pedestrian-friendly area that can be used for community events and to support local businesses.

The work will include:

• Realigning and improving capacity at key town centre road junctions.
• Road resurfacing and 20mph limit in the town centre.
• Improving levels and widths of footway surfaces.
• Hard and soft landscaping.
• Tree planting.
• Improved town centre materials and colour palette.
• Improved street furniture, cycling provision and walking routes.

Work is to be carried out by contractor McPhillips Ltd.

From 6 September Aston Street car park is to be used as the contractor’s site compound, with works physically starting on site the following week. The work programme will be undertaken using a phased approach.

The scheme is fully funded by Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds and developers’ Section 106 contributions. CIL funding will improve the town centre public realm. S106 money will fund the junction improvements and redesigned highway layout in the town centre.

Artist’s impression of how Shifnal may look in a year’s time.

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

“This scheme will greatly enhance Shifnal town centre, improve the flow of traffic, and give a significant boost to Shifnal, its businesses and its residents. Its pleasing to see development and enhancement of our towns in the south of  Shropshire and I’m really pleased that work is shortly to get underway.

“I thank people for their understanding while this work is carried out.”

The project is a ‘category A’ project in the current Shifnal Place Plan. The scheme has been subject to public consultation and public meetings, and has been approved by Shropshire Council, Shifnal Town Council and local councillors.

For more information and updates visit www.shropshire.gov.uk/shifnal

Further information

McPhillips will be issuing an introductory letter to all businesses and residential properties within the site boundary before works start.

Every effort will be made to minimise disruption, and access for businesses will be maintained throughout. Pedestrian and traffic marshals will be available each day to assist with directions for deliveries, and to ensure that people can go about their day to day business safely.