A RESIDENT group in Oswestry has received councillor support in their bid to have land taken off Shropshire' Local Plan.

The South Oswestry Residents Group have submitted a 58-page assessment of the proposal to include the land off Trefonen Road, known as OSW017, in Shropshire’s draft local plan.

The group says their review highlights that inclusion of the site did not meet Shropshire Council’s own planning policies, and the assessment raised significant concerns over the detrimental impact on child safety, biodiversity, heritage and flooding.

A spokesman said: "Shropshire councillor and former Oswestry Mayor Paul Milner, has added his voice and support to the community’s call for the site known as OSW017 to be removed from the draft local plan.

"More than 100 objections to the inclusion of historic parkland in the draft Shropshire Local Plan have been submitted by local people.

"Oswestry Town Council have also formally requested that the land situated off Trefonen Road be removed from the draft plan along with Oswestry Rural Parish Council raising concerns regarding the extra amount of traffic that would be generated be the proposed development.

"The residents’ review also identified that fundamental errors had been made in the Sustainability Assessment that led to the inclusion of OSW017 in the draft plan.

“Oswestry people are not against development, but we are against inappropriate development and the proposal to allow building off Trefonen Road as inappropriate.

"We have not met a single local resident who supports the OSW017 proposal. Both Oswestry Councils are also opposed.

“It is common sense that an increase in traffic on Trefonen Road will increase the already severe congestion at the pinch-point on Upper Brook Street and further increase the risk of accidents.

"The safety of our school children simply should not be placed in jeopardy. With local residents and local Councils, we are calling for OSW017 to be removed from the draft local plan.”