AMBITIOUS plans to transform the Market Place in Cirencester are a step closer after the government agreed to provide £1.4million.

The Department for Communities and Local Government has loaned Cirencester Town Council the money for the regeneration scheme.

With the funding in place, work is expected to start later this year on the revamp which would see the area outside the parish church pedestrianised to allow people to walk around the different shopping areas with more ease.

This new bigger space would be used for markets and other events, and traffic in Market Place would flow two-way on the south side instead of the current system of two separate one-way roads.

For 50 years there has been talk of overhauling Market Place and the Mayor of Cirencester, Cllr Mark Harris, said the changes would improve the town centre.

“I’m delighted we have this vote of confidence for regenerating the Market Place,” he said.

“At last we can begin to deliver the aspirations of many previous generations of townspeople and councillors for the benefit of many future generations of Cirencester people and visitors to the town.”

Andrew Tubb, the chief executive officer of the town council, said the next step was to find a contractor for the work.

“Contract tenders will be considered by the town council in June and we would hope to be in a position to appoint a contractor before the end of July,” he said.

“In order to minimise disruption the work is planned in phases and the current estimate is for the project to take around 12 months.

“During the important Christmas period for businesses work would be minimised to ensure as normal trading conditions as possible.

“We have applied to the county council to undertake the highways works and for various technical permissions that are needed.

“As soon as we get the ‘green light’ from GCC we will be closer to being able to confirm the starting date.”

Also planned is the removal of the traffic-lights at the junction of Market Place and Castle Street, to give the area a more free-flowing feel.

Castle Street would become one-way, going east towards Market Place, to stop the current rat-run-style traffic flow, and GCC would be asked to lower the speed limit from 20mph, while there would be an extra nine parking spaces on the road.

Buses which currently go west along Castle Street would be re-routed along Lewis Lane, Querns Lane and Sheep Street, and there would still be a bus service both ways along Market Place.

There would be fewer parking spaces in total in Market Place – 18 for the public and four for disabled badge-holders, with three spaces as a taxi rank and two for loading – but they would all be available during market days, which is not the case with the existing 42 general spaces and four disabled bays.

Some traders have said they are worried the roadworks will affect business.