NWRR drinking water risk will be ‘managed’ says Council

Shropshire Council’s roads boss says risks to drinking water supplies will be “pro-actively managed” during construction of Shrewsbury’s North West Relief Road.

During public questions at a meeting of the authority’s cabinet this week, highways cabinet member Councillor Dan Morris was asked to clarify earlier comments when he described the risk to Shrewsbury’s drinking water supplies as “minimal.”

Planning permission for the controversial scheme was granted in principle and subject to conditions in October 2023, despite an objection from the Environment Agency(EA), who wrote to the council following the approval of the planning application to reiterate their concerns about the road’s effect on the Source Protection Zone of the town’s public water supply borehole.

In December, Mark Davies, a planning specialist for the EA, wrote: “There is a significant risk of impact upon the water supply at this location, based on the route and design the applicant has chosen to pursue.”

But Councillor Morris says risks will be managed by planning conditions for the project, which are yet to be agreed, and said that an independent external review supported the authority’s position.

“The council as Local Planning Authority recommended to committee in October 23 approval of the North West Relief Road application subject to section 106 agreements and planning conditions. In doing so it has taken this view supported by independent external review by all statutory planning bodies including the Environment Agency and Severn Trent Water,” he told the meeting.

“Initial Risk assessments by the applicant were considered as part of this review and in recommending conditions to address identified and quantified risks this will ensure that the potential impact of the North West Relief Road project on drinking water is pro-actively managed to a minimal level or less with the condition requirements ensuring this to be agreed by all parties before construction commences.

“So even if the EA didn’t say those precise words the implication from what was said by all parties is fully in accord with the assessment of the situation – eg, the risk is minimal.”

The next opportunity for council planners to discuss planning conditions for the road will be on Tuesday, February 6, when the authority’s Northern Planning Committee next meets. A meeting of the committee due to be held on Tuesday, January 9, was postponed.

A full business case for the scheme is currently being prepared for submission to the UK Government Department for Transport. The council say work on the road will begin in summer 2025.