The contentious Shrewsbury North West Relief Road was approved in spite of a significant amount of.....

Controversial Shrewsbury North West Relief Road approved despite huge number of objections

The plan for the road was passed by Shropshire Council’s Northern Planning Committee after a four-hour meeting in the council chamber at Shirehall.

It was passed by a vote of six to five.

The vote was conditional on the conditions relating to the application coming back to the committee for approval.

The meeting had heard from a number of objectors who outlined their opposition to the road while Shrewsbury & Atcham Conservative MP, Daniel Kawczynski told committee members: “We need to build for future generations. We need to think like Victorians.”

Committee member Geoff Elner, who represents Ellesmere, said he and the residents of his ward supported the scheme, but asked what assurances there were that Environment Agency (EA) concerns over potential impacts on bore holes supplying Shrewsbury’s water would be addressed.

Planning officer Mike Davies said discussions with the EA had been “difficult” and added that the council proposed “pre-commencement” conditions to alleviate the issues.

The North West Relief Road was passed despite huge opposition to the scheme

He said: “The EA has effectively said we will discuss conditions with you should the local planning authority be persuaded to decide to grant planning permission, rather than what we would normally expect – the EA would agree conditions in advance of the meeting.”

He added: “We are taking it seriously but we need to get to a point where we can actually have those conversations.”

An effort to defer the application, proposed by Lib Dem Committee member Councillor David Vasmer, and supported by Green Party Councillor Julian Dean failed by six votes to five.

Councillor Vasmer had described the application as ‘flawed’ and said issues needed addressing before a decision is taken.

Prior to the meeting campaigners had gathered outside Shirehall to protest against the plan for the road.

During the early stages of the meeting one of the campaigners was asked to leave the chamber by Committee Chairman Councillor Paul Wynn after repeatedly clapping following speeches by objectors.