SHROPSHIRE Council says it is working to have the first phase of the Oswestry Innovation Park, including the footbridge connecting it to the town, completed by 2024.

The £45 million project – considered a 'gateway to Oswestry' – was given the go-ahead in 2021 on land to the east of Mile End roundabout, which was expended into the the 'dumb-bell' design in preparation.

Around 1,300 jobs are expected to be created at the site, with a proposed hotel and around 21 business units planned for the Innovation Park.

The park was welcomed in the main by Shropshire and Oswestry town councillors but some, including Councillor Duncan Kerr – who sits on both councils – questioned the design of the £5 million footbridge and said it would damage the county's reputation for cycling.

Shropshire Council said the bridge's design could be not be changed in July last year as £1 million had already been spent on it and there had been no opposition through the planning stages.

However, Cllr Kerr said Oswestry Town Council did oppose the design of the bridge. 

And the council is now targeting the first phase of four to be completed by 2024/25, before moving onto more of tghe work to be in place at a later date.

Dean Carroll, Cabinet member for growth, regeneration and housing said: "The council will be following the relevant procurement procedures in order to finalise a project timeline for the completion of the Oswestry Innovation Park, which includes the provision of the footbridge.

"Our ambitions are that the works to undertake the first phase for the Innovation Park site will be completed by 2024/25, in order to bring forward the first phase of serviced employment and will be subject to contracting arrangements."

The business park will be constructed in four phases, with the first including construction of the hotel, an electricity substation, two large business units and four smaller premises.

Phase two will see the delivery of 10 light industrial units and a larger business unit.

Phase three is for two large distribution units, and the phase four will see the construction of the final two large mixed use units.

Shropshire councillor for Whittington, and former deputy leader Steve Charmley, predicted in 2021 that the development would be a boom for Oswestry.

He said: "Oswestry is set for a real boom time. The new park will be creating new jobs for the area which will be a boost for the local economy as I hope that these will be local jobs for local people.

"It will be a timely boost for jobs as Oswestry Town Centre will also be getting a facelift, having recently been awarded its own funding to freshen up our high street."