A revamp of Herne Bay town centre is underway after council officials started work on a £260,000 improvement project.

Fourteen more spaces are to be created in William Street car park, as well as a new pedestrian route through the site.

Council contractors moved onto the car park today (Monday) and the new path will provide a connection from the town centre to Beach Street and Memorial Park.

The £260,000 cost of the project is being funded by the developers of the Altira business park, which includes the new Sainsbury’s supermarket at Broomfield.

Cllr Ben Fitter-Harding, chairman of the council’s regeneration and property committee, said: “These are important improvements that will make parking and walking in the centre of Herne Bay easier and safer.

“It is exactly the kind of project that the developers’ money should be used to fund, because it helps to offset the impact of the new supermarket on the town centre.

“There will be some short term disruption while this work takes place but the end result will be well worth it.”

The work, which will last for around 10 weeks, will see the car park resurfaced and relined.

It will be carried out in three phases and different areas of the car park will be unavailable at different times, meaning capacity will be reduced at times.

“There will be some short term disruption while this work takes place but the end result will be well worth it..." - Cllr Ben Fitter-Harding

Improvements to lighting and drainage will also be made, as well as the installation of the new ANPR (automatic number plate recognition system), ahead of the start of the trial ticketless parking scheme starting in April.

Once the William Street works are complete, work will start on the building of a new public square for organised events and activities in Wimereux Gardens.

The development includes high quality paving, grassed areas and improved lighting.

Other road and pavement projects in Herne Bay funded by the Altira money include improvements to Beach Street and Lower William Street, which will be resurfaced with a decorative finish and will also have better pavements and lighting.

Improvements to Upper William Street and Mortimer Street will also be made.

City council spokesman Rob Davies added that free parking will soon feature at the William Street car park.

He said: "From April this year for two years, the first two hours of parking in William Street car park will be free of charge.

"This is regardless of the time of the day you arrive. It is being funded from the Altira planning contribution.”