A council is finally doing something about an eyesore "temporary" hoarding.

Medway Council put up bright blue wooden panelling to protect the footpath from a crumbling wall which runs along part of the A2 Pier Road in Gillingham in 2009.

Although it was deemed a temporary measure, the unsightly structure remains 14 years on.

Last year, the council was pressed to reveal the cost of renting the structure was £50,700, or £75 a week.

During the same meeting in November, Cllr Gary Hackwell (Con) said the authority had only recently got permission from the landowner of the garages which sit above the wall to allow it to progress the works.

There had been plans to fix the wall last summer but these were scuppered by trouble getting access to the site.

A document submitted by the council to itself says the wall has moved and is unsafe, meaning five of the garages on Leslie Road need to be demolished.

As a result, if the plans go ahead, the wall and garages numbered 11 to 15 will be replaced.

Ward councillor Andy Stamp (Lab), said: "The council secured funding for it probably about 18 months ago, to get the wall repaired and the hoardings removed and the works were supposed to take place last summer.

"If they've finally put an application in and they have sorted out everything with the owner of the garages adjacent to the wall then potentially, finally, the works could be taking place which is really welcome after all these years.

"It's frustrating that it's taken this long and we're not out of the woods yet, but the fact that they have scheduled the works and they have explained that they're going to demolish the garages and rebuild that section of the wall can only be a good thing.

"It's a road safety issue for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians; if drivers are turning out the bottom of Camden Road onto the dual carriageway the hoardings restrict visibility for people turning out, and if you're a cyclist you have the same issue.

"Also for pedestrians, because the hoardings are there, the footpath along that stretch of Pier Road is really narrow."

The application is due to be decided on by Monday, April 17.