Part of Shrewsbury's North West Relief Road funding at risk

Funding worth £4.2m for part of a multimillion-pound relief road in Shropshire could be withdrawn due to the project's lack of progress.

The North West Relief Road has sparked protests and the Environment Agency has raised concerns about its impact.

Shropshire Council has previously called the scheme a "key priority".

The Marches' Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) will meet on Thursday to discuss whether to recoup funds granted eight years ago.

The proposed road would link northern and western Shrewsbury and its total cost was originally put at about £80m.

But Shropshire Council said in 2022 costs would be higher and Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski said in October he would request another £30m from the government.

The LEP has provided funding towards one section of the road, linking Churncote Island to Holyhead Road, but the whole project is being considered under one planning application.

A report to the LEP's board said the organisation had been "very patient and accommodating" over the project.

But the partnership, which supports local infrastructure and businesses, was now "exposed to criticism that a project that received funding eight years ago hasn't yet been delivered".

An LEP committee met in June and recommended taking steps to recoup the grant if planning permission was not granted at a council meeting on 18 July.

The council's planning committee would now only see the application in late summer or September, as it was understood the Environment Agency's concerns could not be addressed in time for the July meeting, the report said.

The council has been contacted for comment about the potential decision by the LEP.

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