The works are expected to be complete next month.

Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “Works on-site are continuing to progress well and we’re still on track for having the entire South Kesteven-funded scheme finished by mid-August.

“So far, the team has completely removed all of the old stone cobbles and excavated to the new levels, as well as removing old kerbs and concrete base slabs. They’ve also re-laid new kerbs at the car park access, Conduit Lane North access and Westgate Road and have installed three new road gullies on-site. This is on top of starting to lay the new granite cobbles and Yorkstone setts along Westgate Road and the layby.

“Over the next month, the focus will be on laying new road surfacing to the Market Place entrance and continuing to lay new cobbles and setts across the works site.

“In the meantime, I want to remind local businesses that we have a dedicated public liaison officer who continue serving as your main point-of-contact for the project. Her name is Joanne Plews, and she can be reached on 07768 940187 or [email protected].”

The current traffic management arrangements for the project are as follows:

•                    Full road closure of the Market Place and a soft closure on Conduit Lane (access maintained for taxi rank)

•                    24/7 barriers around the whole Market Place (all pedestrian areas are accessible)

•                    Access maintained to the temporary parking area outside Gravity. At some point this access will need to be suspended to give safe working space to remove the Conduit Lane raised table

•                    Access maintained to the footway outside the Conduit Lane Tearooms and the Reflect Recruitment Office

•                    Removed bollards at the top of Butchers Walk for ease of deliveries to businesses

•                    Loading areas maintained at the top of Market Place junction with Watergate and on Narrow Westgate

The project is being fully funded by a portion of the £4.1 million of Grantham Future High Street Fund funding awarded to the South Kesteven District Council in 2020 by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government.

For more information about this and other major highways projects, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/majorprojects.