Shropshire Council has agreed to invest £3.1 million in extending Bishop's Castle Business Park.

The plan is part of a £150 million investment in schemes laid out in the authority’s 2021/22 capital programme, signed off by the cabinet on Monday as part of the council’s five-year capital strategy.

It also lists the projects set to come to fruition in the 2022/23 financial year, to the tune of £115m.

Funding for the programme will come from government grants, borrowing and other sources like the community infrastructure levy (CIL).

Councillor Steve Charmley, portfolio holder for assets, said he was pleased to see projects aimed at jobs growth in the pipeline for the coming two years.

They include £9.3m towards improvements at Oswestry’s Mile End Roundabout, awarded from the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund in order to increase capacity of the road network.

A further £3.1m is set to be invested in an expansion of Bishop’s Castle Business Park.

Councillor Charmley said these schemes were “essential for for economic growth success across the county”.

He added: “They are evidence that this administration is investing in growth and laying the foundations to unleash Shropshire’s potential.”

Councillor Dean Carroll, portfolio holder for public heath, adult social care and climate change, said the £4.8 million earmarked towards a new medical centre at Pauls Moss in Whitchurch had been “very much needed for a great many years”.

Councillor Carroll also highlighted £30.3m listed as “unallocated commercial investments”, some of which he said would go towards renewable energy schemes.

These will include a new solar farm in Oswestry, with plans for a Shrewsbury Weir hydro scheme and a hydrogen fuel production facility in Shrewsbury also being considered.

Councillor Lee Chapman, who is responsible for digital infrastructure, said he was “delighted” by the investment of £7.7 million in broadband improvements.

Councillor Steve Davenport, who has responsibility for highways, said there was “a lot of work going on” around the proposed Shrewsbury North West Relief Road (NWRR) and Pant-Llanymynech bypass, as well as walking and cycling schemes throughout the county.

The capital programme shows £10m of funding in 21/22 and £39m in 22/23 towards the NWRR, which will come from a previously approved £54m government grant.

Of the total £150m capital programme for 21/22, £54m will come from government grants. The following year government grants are expected to cover £62m of the £115m total.

Further funds will come from money collected from developers under section 106 agreements and CIL, capital receipts from sale of council-owned assets, and other council pots.

The council will however need to borrow £48 million this year and £41 million next year to fund the remainder, and a report to cabinet by finance director James Walton warned the interest on any repayments would create an added pressure on the revenue budget.

Cabinet members unanimously approved the capital strategy, including the programme of projects for the next year.

The capital strategy also says additional projects worth a total of £215 million are in the pipeline, but are not included in the programme as they are yet to be fully approved by cabinet or full council.