Work has officially started on a major new public park in the heart of Shrewsbury town centre.
Morgan Sindall Construction has begun on-site to deliver Riverside Gardens, a flagship regeneration project designed to reconnect the town with the River Severn.
The new park, located along Roushill, is the first stage of Shropshire Council’s ambitious plan to revitalise the area and improve pedestrian links between The Darwin Centre, Roushill, and Raven Meadows. The project, which has been granted £18.7 million in Levelling Up funding from the UK Government, is expected to open to the public in late autumn 2026.
Developed in partnership with RivingtonHark, the new green space aims to be a welcoming and accessible destination for everyone. The design includes attractive landscaping, family-friendly activity areas, facilities for all ages, and a dedicated events and performance space. In addition to boosting footfall in the town centre, the park is also being designed to enhance biodiversity and improve flood resilience.
Councillor Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport and economic growth, described the project as “another exciting milestone.” He added that the park aligns with the council’s vision to “unlock the town’s fantastic riverside location, helping to attract even more visitors to explore Shropshire.”
Councillor Alex Wagner for Quarry also welcomed the start of work, noting the park will “make the area far greener and more effective at fighting flooding.”
Richard Fielding, Morgan Sindall Construction’s area director, highlighted the extensive preparatory work required. “What people will see is this beautiful new park space, but there’s a huge amount of groundwork that has to happen first,” he said. He emphasised the importance of drainage and foundation work to ensure the park can handle both daily use and large-scale community events.
Temporary Lane Closure on Smithfield Road
To allow for crucial drainage work, a temporary lane closure on Smithfield Road will be in place for up to five days from Sunday, 21 September. The road will be reduced to two lanes for approximately 200 metres.
Councillor Wilson acknowledged the potential for disruption, stating, “we will ensure that this work is completed as quickly as possible.”
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