Oswestry’s mayor believes the move to sell land around Morrisons supermarket on the Smithfield site is proof of commercial confidence in the town.

Morrisons received planning consent in December 2019 for the development of the site and the decision notice issued by the Planning Authority details the agreed uses for the site.

Previously, there were plans in place to build a £45 million retail and leisure park – including a five-screen cinema – with offices and trade stores included, but so far, only the new supermarket has been built and opened.

But a seven-acre plot of land next to Morrisons was officially put up for sale at the end of August, outlining where the respective elements of retail, leisure and trader would go.

Councillor Duncan Kerr, mayor of Oswestry, says the council are happy to see progress, especially in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: “Its been a difficult year so far but confidence in Oswestry is still high, with the majority of businesses reopening after lockdown.

“There is evidence of investment in the town centre and with Oswestry Town Council, with partners, delivering the Heritage Action Zone project which will see improvements in key locations.

“The development of the Smithfield Site and the investment by the developer is an example of that confidence and the council are pleased that progress is being made and that opportunities are being marketed.”

In the brochure for the site, it says that more access points similar to the roundabout built for entrance to Morrisons are available and that while planning permission is in place, interested companies should ‘satisfy themselves over the prospects for their proposed schemes’.

The former market had stood empty for four years before the supermarket was built and opened in 2015.

Potential buyers are also being attracted by the increased residential developments around Shrewsbury Road, with 600 homes scheduled to be built between the Smithfield site and the A5 towards Wrexham.

Any future development would also draw the site closer to Mile End Roundabout and the small number of services already established there, including established chains Starbucks KFC, Premier Inn and Burger King.