Plans revealed for new riverside park

The new park off Roushill is the proposed first phase of a wider regeneration project

Plans for a new riverside park in Shrewsbury have been submitted.

The project is intended for part of the area cleared by the demolition of the Riverside shopping centre.

Shropshire Council said the park would feature play equipment "for visitors of different ages", as well as a dedicated events and performance area.

The scheme would also see the rest of the centre cleared to pave the way for future development.

It is to be funded by £19m of levelling-up money from the government.

The planning application follows several weeks of public consultation, including online and physical events for people to have their say.

The deputy leader of Shropshire Council, Ian Nellins, said: "It’s been great to see the plans receive such an overwhelmingly positive response.

"The project is the heartbeat of our plans to attract new visitors, residents, businesses and jobs into Shrewsbury, and growing the county’s economy."

The park would have a dedicated performance space

The proposed park forms a central part of a masterplan for Shrewsbury town centre, designed to see changes to a much wider area and with an emphasis on walking and cycling.

Shrewsbury's three main shopping centres were bought by the council in 2018, in a £51m deal.

Their previous owner had proposed new uses more than a decade ago, but the plans never came to fruition.

Mr Nellins said: “Although this specific application relates to the proposed public park on Roushill, it was great to start conversations about the wider masterplan in general and future phases.

"We appreciate that there is a clear desire from the public to understand how public transport and car travel will change over the coming years in and around the town centre."

He added that transport issues would be considered in further consultation in 2024.