Two towns put forward for £675m fund

Two towns could get a slice of a £675 million government fund to transform their high streets.

Oswestry and Shrewsbury have been put forward for the Future High Streets fund bidding process.

Two more market towns will then be put forward next year.

Councillor Peter Nutting, council leader, said the decision had been taken to put the two towns that most clearly met the criteria through to this round of bidding.

He said: “We have gone with Oswestry and Shrewsbury this time and will then put another two through next year.

“We went with the two we thought were most suitable for the criteria and were most in need of the help.”

The cabinet approved the motion and will now submit the applications before the March 22 deadline. Towns could be given £5-10m under the scheme.

The authority invited town and parish councils to submit proposals and received responses from Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Whitchurch.

Cllr Gwilym Butler, cabinet member for communities and place planning, said there would also need for a “bottom-up” approach across the county to see how town centres can be revitalised.

High streets minister Jake Berry launched the fund last month to help modernise high streets and town centres.

Shropshire Council director of place, Mark Barrow, met with Oswestry Town Council members and officers last month to move the plans forward.

Mr Barrow said: “The panel assessed the Oswestry proposal and recommends that this goes forward to the first round.

“The panel concluded that this was a well-written proposal which gave an authentic picture of Oswestry.

“However, it will be important to expand the detail to capture and enable a focus on a bigger vision for the town.

“There is some good creative thinking on using new environmental technology in the town.

“In Oswestry, Shropshire Council has provisionally secured up to £9.3m of Housing Infrastructure Fund to support and enable the development and delivery of housing in Oswestry.

“There is an opportunity now to explore collaboration with the BID and town council regarding match-funding opportunities, aligning resources across the the organisations as well as exploring further funding opportunities and resources.”