Work begins on flagship Shrewsbury park
Morgan Sindall Construction has started on site at Riverside Gardens, following its appointment as delivery partner for the regeneration project.
Located along Roushill, Riverside Gardens marks the first phase of Shropshire Council’s Smithfield Riverside regeneration programme, which will reconnect the town centre with the River Severn while enhancing links between The Darwin Centre, Roushill and Raven Meadows.
Preparatory work to demolish, clear the site and build the park itself has been made possible by £18.7m of Levelling Up Fund cash, awarded in January 2023.
Developed in partnership with RivingtonHark, the council is working alongside Morgan Sindall Construction to create a distinctive new green space which will open to the public in late autumn 2026.
The aim is that Riverside Gardens will provide a welcoming, accessible destination for all, enhancing biodiversity and flood resilience while boosting town centre footfall.
The park will feature green landscaping, activity areas to attract more families, accessible facilities for visitors of all ages, and a dedicated events and performance area.
Cllr Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for transport and economic growth, said: “This is another exciting milestone in our regeneration journey and aligns perfectly with our vision to unlock the town’s fantastic riverside location, helping to attract even more visitors to explore Shropshire.
“Riverside Gardens will provide a beautiful and inclusive new space for people of all ages to enjoy and take a moment out of their busy lives. It will also serve as a new destination for outdoor community events, with a play area that’s perfect for young families – all of which will contribute to the reactivation of this part of the town centre.
“The overarching project, Smithfield Riverside, is truly collaborative and I’d like to thank our project partners, including Shrewsbury BID and Shrewsbury Town Council, for their collective effort and the tangible progress made to date.”
Richard Fielding, Morgan Sindall Construction’s area director in the Midlands, said: “We’re really excited to start work on Riverside Gardens – it’s going to be a fantastic addition to Shrewsbury town centre. What people will see is this beautiful new park space, but there’s a huge amount of groundwork that has to happen first to make it all possible.
“The ground conditions here mean we’ve got some important drainage and foundation work ahead of us, which is absolutely critical for getting the infrastructure right so this park can handle everything from daily use to major community events.”
