De-pedestrianisation of Holywell High Street to go ahead in August

Flintshire Council has been working closely with local businesses and

Holywell Town Council to obtain funding for the de-pedestrianisation of the high street in Holywell.

The high street was pedestrianised in 1992, but a six-month trial last year where traffic was re-introduced and trade monitored was deemed a success.

It comes after warnings from businesses in Holywell that they could fold if the street remained pedestrianised.

And despite successful bids to Welsh Government’s transport fund and to both the town and county council’s capital funds, there is still an outstanding balance for the scheme, which has been submitted for consideration to the Welsh Government Town Regeneration Fund.

This panel has considered the matter on a number of occasions but have been unable to approve the proposals and the matter has now been passed for a ministerial decision to be made.

Given the timescales and the deterioration of the road surface since the temporary changes were introduced, Flintshire Council has made a decision to progress the scheme immediately.

It will be constructed in a scaled down form to ensure that all of the work is completed before the Christmas trading period in December.

Flintshire Council said the decision will ensure that the current traffic arrangement remains in place, although there will be a requirement for some temporary full road closures during the period of the construction.

Councillor Carolyn Thomas, council deputy leader and cabinet member for Streetscene and countryside, said: "I am pleased to announce that the scheme will go ahead, albeit in a revised form and hope this will provide some certainty both to the local businesses and residents in the Town.

"There is still a shortfall in terms of budget but I will continue to lobby Welsh Government for the final element of the funding for the scheme’’

The work will start on site in early August and be completed by December 2019.