Work to redesign Marlborough Square in Coalville will start later this month after contracts were signed with North West Leicestershire District Council for the £2.7million project to be completed.

The council says that the work is likely to take around eight months.

After a number of setbacks and complications due to the nature of the space, building company Stepnell will start the work to transform the area in September, turning a car park and cut-through road into a pedestrianised public square that will be used for outdoor markets and other events.

Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader of NWLDC and Councillor Michael Wyatt, Deputy Leader of NWLDC in Marlborough Square

The redesign has been planned since 2018 as part of what the council say is its commitment to help Coalville be a 'vibrant and family-friendly town'.

The project promises to rejuvenate the area, with an outdoor market to complement the indoor market at Newmarket and other events throughout the year. The design includes:

• An outdoor market and events space
• High-quality street furniture including seating, bins, bollards and information panels
• Raised planting
• Feature LED lighting
• Granite paving
• Introduction of a one-way traffic system
• Limited vehicle access to the northern part of the square.

The indoor market moved to Newmarket on Marlborough Square in 2021, and the council has also bought the row of shops and apartments on the corner of Marlborough Square and Belvoir Road, investing £4.5 million to improve the look of the building and create around 10 new first floor apartments.

A timetable for the redesign of says work is due to be finished in late Spring 2024.

Access to all businesses in the square will be retained throughout the work.

• 25 September – Contractors will set up the site ready for work to start
• Saturday 31 September and Sunday 1 October (two days) – Belvoir Road and Marlborough Square will be closed to allow the site to be cleared, removing the roundabout and other street furniture
• Monday 2 October – Belvoir Road will reopen. Marlborough Square will remain closed during all of the works, except for deliveries to businesses within the square
• Bus services will be redirected to Memorial Square bus stops
• Work will pause for the Christmas in Coalville event on Saturday 25 November
• Work will pause for two weeks over Christmas and New Year.

Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader of the district council, said: "The redesign of Marlborough Square is a really high-profile project that, together with council investment in key buildings around the square, will make a huge difference to the area once it's complete.

"The project has suffered various delays, and we thank the public for their patience while we remained committed to it.

"It's often tricky to get public space projects up and running, but I'm looking forward to seeing the square change, become more people-friendly and start to host regular markets and events."

Stepnell Regional Director, Adrian Barnes added: "We are really excited to have been awarded the Marlborough Square redevelopment project.

"This importantly helps to rejuvenate an important area of Coalville and is a further addition to our growing portfolio of infrastructure and public realm projects.

"It's taken a while to get to this point but we have remained committed to the scheme, alongside NWLDC, and are now looking forward to getting going on site."