Demolition of Frankwell bridge steps paves way for new Riverside Gardens park

Work to demolish the Frankwell bridge steps in Shrewsbury is underway. For the past week, people venturing over the bridge towards the Smithfield Riverside development have been turning left instead of right down a new temporary ramp.

These important changes are happening as part of Shropshire Council’s project to build a new public park called ‘Riverside Gardens’ on the Smithfield Riverside site.

Located along Roushill, Riverside Gardens marks the first phase of the council’s ambitious regeneration programme, which will reconnect the town centre with the River Severn while enhancing links between The Darwin Centre, Roushill and Raven Meadows.

Riverside Gardens will provide a welcoming, accessible destination for all, enhancing biodiversity and flood resilience while boosting town centre footfall.

The park will feature attractive green landscaping, activity areas to attract more families, accessible facilities for visitors of all ages, and a dedicated events and performance area. It will also add value to the overall site, making it more viable for commercial development in the future and play an important part in reducing flood risk.

The first part of work to build this park involves the council’s chosen contractors, Morgan Sindall Construction demolishing the old, inaccessible ramp and starting work to prepare the area ready for a lift to be installed next year.

This lift is expected to be ready to use just before the park opens in late autumn 2026 and the temporary ramp will remain in place until then.

Preparatory work to demolish, clear the site and build the park itself has been made possible by £18.7 million of Levelling Up money from the UK Government which was awarded to the council in January 2023.

Councillor Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport and economic growth, said:

“I’m pleased to see such significant progress on the Smithfield Riverside project.

“The introduction of the new temporary ramp and eventually a lift is a major step forward—not just for the development, but for the whole community. For too long, accessibility has been a challenge in this part of town.

“With these changes, we’re making the park, the development, and Shrewsbury itself more welcoming and accessible for everyone. This is about opening up new opportunities, connecting people with the riverside, and ensuring that everyone can enjoy the benefits of this fantastic regeneration. It’s an exciting time for our town, and I’m looking forward to seeing the positive impact these improvements will bring.”

Councillor Alex Wagner, who represents Quarry and Coton Hill, added:

“This is really about making the Riverside feel like part of the town centre hustle and bustle again. We’re creating a space that’s not just nice to look at, but actually useful, somewhere people can meet, relax, and enjoy being in Shrewsbury.

“I’m excited to see the finished product and some much-needed new public green space for the town.”