PEOPLE could get another chance to have their say on proposals for the £87 million North West Relief Road under plans to re-draw aspects of the scheme.
Shropshire Council has revealed it is looking again at the current designs for the four-mile road in an effort to lessen the carbon emissions and ecological impact of the huge construction project, in response to the thousands of objections made by members of the public and environmental groups.
As a result the project team anticipates submitting amendments to the planning application, which would then be subject to a fresh period of public consultation.
So far 3,400 objections have been logged on the council’s planning portal, as well as 200 comments in support.
A council spokesman said: “Shropshire Council continues to refine the design of the proposed NWRR in the light of the current planning responses.
“Work to further enhance the scheme opportunities around carbon, environmental mitigation and final build costs may lead to the submitting of revised proposals around certain design elements to the local planning authority in due course.
“In line with requirements, the local planning authority can then undertake a further consultation period in order to consider these proposals.”
Following any further period of consultation, the planning application is expected to go before the council’s northern planning committee for determination before the end of the year.
If approved, work will start next year after a full business case has been approved by the Department for Transport, which has committed £54.4 million in funding towards the project.
A further £4.2m will come from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) while the council will make up the £19.8m shortfall plus any overspend.
The road, which has been decades in the planning, is set to open in 2023 and will complete the ring-road around Shrewsbury by linking the Welshpool Road roundabout in the West with the Ellesmere Road roundabout in the north.
The council and other supporters of the project say it is necessary in order to cut traffic and emissions from the town centre, boost the county’s economy and stop villages to the north of the town from being used as rat-runs.
But opponents argue any perceived benefits are outweighed by the environmental damage the construction of the road will cause and say the money would be better spent on other county-wide projects.
Article originally appeared on the Oswestry and Border Counties Advertizer.
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