Calls for canal to be protected and restored as part of Flaxmill plans

That is according to Shrewsbury and Newport Canals Trust.

The Flaxmill site in Ditherington, one of the most historically significant buildings in the county and the world’s first iron-framed building, is being restored and developed into offices, while 120 houses are also expected to be built at the site as part of a major redevelopment.

The Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership want it to become an attractive gateway into the town centre.

Historic England say restoring the canal as part of the work is a priority, but the trust believes the plans and images shown in the planning application does not offer it proper protection and fear it could be lost forever.

The trust says it wants the residential development to be significantly reduced or not built so the Flaxmill and canal can be seen clearly from Spring Gardens.

It is also calling for the towpath and canal to be widened to allow horse-drawn boat trips and to load/unload at Flaxmill wharf, a new Thomas Telford-style hump bridge to be built and for narrow boats to be able to moor semi-permanently.

Members hope that Shropshire Council’s northern planning team will refuse the application until the canal restoration forms part of the project.

Alan Reade, a Claverley-based civil engineer, has drawn up a sketch of how he and the trust believe the canal should look.

They insist the current drawings show the new homes would be overbearing on the site and would result in people not wanting to visit the canal.

“I understand they want to raise as much money as they can, but they want to build right up against the towpath,” said Alan.

“The vast majority of the comments on the application don’t support it. It is a very important, historic site.

“If the homes could go somewhere else on the site, the canal could be a real asset for tourism in the town.

“You could travel by boat all the way from Sundorne up towards The Buttermarket. It would be a wonderful attraction to bring people to the town, but this proposal, the way they’ve done it with all the houses, would spoil it.

“They are not thinking of the future use of the canal.”

In January, Historic England said it had invested £250,000 in the restoration of the canal.

The public body said funding issues were stopping it from rebuilding the canal as part of its Flaxmill redevelopment, but that preparations such as removing contaminated soil were underway to make the job easier in future.

Tamsin Foster, of Historic England, said: “Until the canal can be fully restored, it will be transformed into an area of green landscaping with a pedestrian and cycle route, giving local people the opportunity to access and enjoy it.

“Together our current and future works will safeguard the canal line’s future, enabling it to one day be fully reinstated more easily and inexpensively.”

To view the application visit https://bit.ly/3c1s3eB