Oswestry's Clawdd Du passageway needing radical plan for improvement

Clawdd Du – or Black Ditch as it translates to in English – runs between Willow Street and Bailey Street in the town centre.

The passageway was the topic for a motion put forward by Councillor Mike Coppock which was subsequently passed by members at Oswestry's Town Council meeting on Wednesday.

Cllr Coppock, said: "It's full of big bins from the shops nearby so it smells and it's dirty.

"There is a building which overhangs it and a big piece of windowsill fell off onto the path the other day because it's crumbling.

"There's a block of toilets which are blocked off now – the space could be used to store bins or maybe even for a new shop.

"It needs to be upgraded so that it's an attractive place people would like to use, rather than a horrible place people avoid – an attractive place would uplift the area."

It is not clear who owns each part of the passageway – Shropshire Council own the pathway and lights but some of the shops own some of the buildings.

Wednesday’s meeting also saw councillors propose the installation of CCTV cameras along the alley with Councillor Paul Milner saying it has long been a problem in the town with anti-social behaviour, rubbish dumping and even people urinating.

He said: “It has always been a spot in the town centre that is a mess, be it from rubbish being dumped or stored there or even anti-social behaviour.

“On nights out it can be used by people walking from one pub to the next and those stopping to urinate is a regular occurrence.

“It is not a nice place to be around at the moment but we are going to work hard to see what can be done going forward.

“This could include bringing in CCTV to monitor what happens down there and indeed act as a deterrent.

“It is something now on the table and we are going to be looking at it in detail.”

Now the motion has been passed there are now plans for councillors and shop owners to get together to "work out a radical plan to improve the place," Cllr Coppock added.