Plans to redevelop Oakengates shopping centre go ahead

The plans involve the area between The Place, Limes Walk and Market Street

Proposals to redevelop a 1960s shopping precinct have been given planning approval.

Telford and Wrekin Council said work to turn the Oakengates site into a "modern shopping experience" would begin this summer for completion in 2025.

It said it also planned to improve the theatre, create a new public space and develop a weekly street market.

The funding will come from the government's Towns Fund, after the local authority secured £22.3m.

The authority said the changes, to an area between The Place, Limes Walk and Market Street, would increase the number of visitors.

Some traders had expressed concerns about the plans involving the demolition of some existing shops.

They said they were worried about the future of their businesses, which they had built up over decades in some cases.

The council also plans to create a new street market outside the theatre

Lee Carter, the councillor responsible for regeneration, said the project was a "fantastic outcome for Oakengates" and would "make a real difference".

He added: "The plans have been carefully designed to assist the relocation of existing businesses so that we retain these while incorporating modern amenities and facilities."

The Mayor of Oakengates, Stephen Reynolds, said: "This is an exciting step forward for our community."