Raven Meadows footbridges to be removed as part of Shrewsbury Riverside demolition work

News from the Smithfield Riverside project

Councillors and officers in front of the pedestrian bridge that is to be removed

Shropshire Council and demolition contractors Cawarden have announced the temporary closure of a section of Raven Meadows next week to allow for the removal of two footbridges: the bridges linking the former Riverside Shopping Centre to the multi-storey car park, and to the former Pride Hill Shopping Centre, near Roushill.

The western section of Raven Meadows will be closed between 12am on Monday 16 and 6am on Thursday 19 September while the works take place.

During the closure, Raven Meadows multi-storey car park and the bus station will remain open. Access to the car park will be via Meadow Place and the remaining section of Raven Meadows (to the east of the car park) will become two-way during the road closure period. Drivers should follow the diversion signs to the car park.

The car park will close at 10pm instead of midnight on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17  September to assist with the demolition.

The Darwin shopping centre will remain open as normal during the works.

The demolition works are the first visible signs of progress on Smithfield Riverside – the ambitious mixed-use regeneration masterplan led by the council and its development manager, RivingtonHark.

The first phase of the scheme, backed by £19 million of Government funding, includes the demolition of the Riverside shopping centre and medical practice. Once demolition completes, work will begin on the creation of a new public park adjacent to Roushill.

For those who want to see the ongoing demolition from a different angle, Shropshire Council has launched a live webcam on the roof of the nearby Darwin Shopping Centre. Timelapse footage of the works can now be viewed online at www.smithfieldriverside.com.

Mark Barrow, Shropshire Council’s executive director of place, said:

“As we move forward with Smithfield Riverside, the temporary closure of Raven Meadows is a necessary step towards crafting a vibrant future for this area of the town centre. We will be working closely with the contractor to minimise disruption to the public and local businesses as much as possible over the coming months.”

Spencer Winter, Project Director at RivingtonHark, added:

“We’re pleased to be able to show the public how the demolition is progressing, with our live webcam overlooking the site. All of this brings us closer to delivering the first phase of regeneration: a new park along Roushill.”

Raven Meadows is expected to fully reopen to traffic at 6am on Thursday 19 September.

Members of the public can get in touch with Cawarden by emailing m.whitehead@cawadren.com with any questions about the closure.

Further information 

Fronted by Shropshire Council, Smithfield Riverside is being supported by an expert team of property and regeneration specialists, including RivingtonHark, FaulknerBrowns Architects, Spacehub Landscape Architects, Arup and Counter Context.