Shrewsbury North West Relief Road gets the go-ahead

Despite a large number of objections, the controversial Shrewsbury North West Relief Road (NWRR) was approved by Shropshire Council’s Northern Planning Committee today.

Following the approval a full business case for the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road, outlining the scheme and the up-to-date costings, will now be prepared for consideration by Council next year, before submission to the Department for Transport (DfT) shortly after.  

If approved, work to build the road could start as early as summer 2025. 

The NWRR will provide a new, single carriageway road linking the northern and western parts of Shrewsbury. It will include a new bridge over the River Severn and its flood plain, and a new bridge over the Shrewsbury-Chester railway line. The NWRR will connect to existing roads with new roundabouts.  

Dan Morris, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways, said: “The decision follows years of uncertainty, and I’m delighted that we can finally start to progress this important scheme.  

“I absolutely accept that the NWRR divides opinions, but I’m confident that it will make a huge difference to people, not only within the town, but also in the surrounding villages – reducing congestion, improving walking and cycling accessibility, and tackling poor air quality. 

“It will help unlock further opportunities for growth, and boost business here in Shropshire by improving transport links and using materials available on our doorstep to build it, and creating more high-skilled, well-paid jobs that our county needs.

“The delays in the planning process have meant that the objections to the scheme have been put through a very high level of scrutiny, and answers have been provided to all objections raised.

“The statement made by Mark Harper, Secretary of State for Transport, earlier this month that the Government will fully fund the NWRR’s costs following the decision to cease Phase 2 of HS2 is also very welcome, and shows the confidence in the scheme’s potential for Shropshire, its economy and the wider region. 

“We look forward to receiving formal confirmation of this.” 

Protesters gatherd ahead of meeting

Approximately 200 people from Extinction Rebellion Shrewsbury gathered outside Shirehall today to call on Shropshire Council to ‘Stop The Shropshire Chainsaw Massacre’, as the North West Relief Road went before the Planning Committee on Halloween.

The protest featured a ‘chainsaw maniac’ in Halloween costume attacking the iconic 550 year old Darwin Oak, as well as bottles of contaminated ‘Relief Road Water’ highlighting the risk the road poses to Shrewsbury’s drinking water supply.

Environmentally-destructive

Jamie Russell from Extinction Rebellion Shrewsbury who help a protest ahead of the meeting said: "The North West Relief Road is an environmentally-destructive nightmare, so it’s fitting the planning meeting is on Halloween.

"‘We will lose 4km of biodiverse hedgerows; over ten hectares of vital agricultural land; and over a thousand trees including several “irreplaceable” veterans like the 550 year old Darwin Oak. This is the tree that the world’s most famous naturalist, Charles Darwin, sat under as a young man. There is no way to justify this in the midst of a climate and ecological emergency. Darwin must be spinning in his grave."

Environmental concerns over the road plans have seen multiple organisations formally object to the NWRR including the Woodland Trust, Shrewsbury Friends of the Earth, the Shropshire Wildlife Trust, and even the council’s own Ecology and Tree Teams.

The Environment Agency, which has long-standing concerns over the risk of contaminating the borehole that supplies Shrewsbury with clean drinking water, says it is still ‘not sufficiently reassured’ about the council’s plans. Severn Trent Water has ‘agreed to disagree’ with the council over the issue and requested strict conditions be attached to any planning decision in favour of the road.

Campaigners argue that the NWRR runs counter to the council’s own climate emergency declaration in 2019 and the UK’s legally binding net zero pledges.

Jamie Russell added: "Shropshire Council is ignoring its own climate emergency declaration to build the NWRR. Every opposition party on the council has rejected the road because they know it is the wrong solution for the climate, nature, and Shrewsbury’s traffic problems. Only the Conservatives want it built. If the MP for Shrewsbury believes the NWRR is vital for the town, we call on him to be the one to take a chainsaw to the Darwin Oak. This is our Sycamore Gap moment. If we lose these trees, they are gone forever."