The mayor of Wem has praised residents for turning out in force after Shropshire Council opened up its consultation onto future development in the town.

Councillor Connie Granger was on hand with former mayor Cllr Rosemary Dodd, as well as town clerk Penny O'Hagan to talk residents through the three sites designated as part of the Local Plan for 2016-36.

Cllr Granger was delighted to see hundreds of people turn up, with more than 50 through the door in the first 30 minutes of the consultation being open.

But she urged people to get involved, even if they failed to make the open evening at Wem's Edinburgh House.

"Even as soon as it opened there were plenty of people coming down to the consultation and to make their views known," she said.

"I'm obviously delighted to see them here but this just shows that people are interested in their town. I wasn't expecting such a high number of people to come and see how it impacts on us.

"I urge as many people as possible to to get involved in this consultation as there has been lots of development in the town, with some problems that are ongoing.

"But we are so delighted that so many people here in Wem have opinions about what development there should be here.

"For those who didn't make it down to the consultation last Monday, you can still make your voices be heard at Shropshire Council's website."

Wem will be considered as a key centre for development with the three sites earmarked for more than 200 dwellings including 120 on land off Pyms Road, 30 on land of Trentham Road and 60 for land off Whitchurch Road.

The Pyms Road site is to provide a second phase to existing SAMDev allocation.

In the long-term, the new local plan will aim to have 600 dwellings built by 2016 using around six hectares of land – 64 dwellings have already been completed.

For more, head to www.shropshire.gov.uk/get-involved/local-plan-review-preferred-sites-consultation/