The recent inquiry found that the land had been used continuously as a public space for long enough to be registered as a town green under Section 15 of the Commons Act 2006, but councillors will argue in a letter to the county that the inspector's report is not beneficial to the local community and that it would be scandalous if the land was left as idle and undeveloped waste ground in the view of the public money spent on it.

In a letter to the county council planning committee members outline the increasing aging population and need for facilities a new healthcare centre would bring, and the fact that the council has just purchased Shelf Bank as public open space which is near the site.

Scrutiny committee chairman, Councillor Martin Bennett told fellow councillors: "The County Council should be asked to resist this, it has been part of the railway since 1848, and can by no stretch of the imagination be seen as a town green. Registration as a town green suggests grass areas, trees, play equipment and the chances of this are zero.

"Advantage West Midlands bought the land for £600,000 and with the added costs of the public enquiry this has become not so much a million pound bank note but a million pound hole in the ground," he added.

Application

The application for registration will be presented to Shropshire County Council at the end of July, they will then decide whether or not to register the site.

What do you think about the railway land being registered as a village green? Let us know by leaving your comments or by emailing mark.hooson@nwn.co.uk