The Oxon Link Road (OLR) is a new high quality road running between the A5 and Holyhead Road. The OLR forms an integral part of the Shrewsbury West Sustainable Urban Extension (SUE) which will provide 750 new homes and 2885 jobs. The OLR is therefore strategically and economically important to Shrewsbury and the wider area.

Shrewsbury is required to play a key role in meeting the housing targets set out in Shropshire’s Local Development Framework. The SUE West development contributes significantly to meeting this target. A Masterplan was prepared for SUE West and consulted on in summer 2013. The SUE West Masterplan Document was subsequently adopted by Shropshire Council in December 2013.

The OLR will provide a much needed alternative to the existing A458 Welshpool Road for traffic movements between the A5 trunk road and Shrewsbury town centre. It will completely remove through traffic from Welshpool Road, changing its function and character to better serve the local community. These include improvements to the environment for pedestrians and cyclists; more reliable bus services; reductions in air and noise pollution and enhancements to the local community centre.

The OLR is part funded by the SUE West developers and the Growth Deal/Midlands Engine Fund via the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). To secure Growth Deal funding, Shropshire Council submitted a transport business case to The Marches LEP demonstrating how the OLR will support the delivery of long-term economic growth for Shrewsbury in a sustainable way.

The OLR scheme is being submitted for Full Planning Approval in March 2018 and you can view the full submission information on the planning website.