Openreach confirms stones ordered for Oswestry Cross Street repairs

The temporary repair on Cross Street by Openreach has caused controversy after a large swathe of the pavement was covered in tarmac.

However, following a meeting between Openreach and Shropshire Council on Monday (July 24), a stone that matches the existing surface has been agreed.

A spokesperson from Openreach said: "This is being ordered by our contractors.

“They know that the permanent fix needs to happen as quickly as possible, as the temporary tarmac is very different to the existing surface.

“As soon as we know when the stones are to be delivered, we’ll agree on the best time to carry  out the work, guided by the local highways department.”

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Shropshire Council had previously explained that they were unaware of the temporary repair that would be put in place by Openreach after some of the stone slabs were damaged during removal.

But they added that the company has six months to make a permanent repair.

A council spokesperson explained that when issuing a works permit to a utility company there is always an expectation that the reinstatement should be first-time permanent.

They added: "However, when assessing a permit application, the location of high amenity paved areas isn’t always obvious, which appears to be the case here.

"In some instances it’s also the case that stock of the existing material has been depleted, or is not immediately available to the contractor, and has to be sourced.

"It may take some time to locate a suitable “like for like” match of materials and therefore an interim reinstatement is required to make the area safe prior to final reinstatement."

Meanwhile, a Shropshire and Oswestry town councillor has pointed the finger of blame at Shropshire Council over the repair work.

Councillor Duncan Kerr says the street is a “high amenity paved area”, which should have received immediate reinstatement when Openreach sought a permit.

He added: “Cross Street is a “high amenity paved area” as such when Openreach applied for a permit, Shropshire Council should have identified that from their streetworks register and required immediate re-instatement.

“The council failed to do this and the result is that the contractor has six months to re-instate.”

The council made re-assurances that they will continue to highlight such high amenity areas on the street works register to avoid similar instances happening in the future, where possible.

Cllr Kerr added: “Let’s hope that the contractor will prioritise this work.”