Work will commence on the new look for Agincourt Square as early as March 2020.

At a town council meeting on Monday, 16th December, Roger Hoggins, Head of Operations for Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) said that a grant of £850k from the Welsh Government turned MCC’s budget of £90,000 for resurfacing into an opportunity to enhance the square with a visionary new look.

With £45,000 promised from Monmouth Town Council the draft design was put out to consultation with groups such as the Visually Impaired, 20/20 as well as the town’s business leaders as it was expected that the work schedule, expected to be five or six weeks, would cause disruption to traders.

Many plans have emerged over the years, with ideas ranging from a one-way carriageway through the town to a tree-lined central reservation, but Mr Hoggins said that the final plan would be for two way traffic, wider pavements, dimpled crossings below and above the square and a water fountain.

One of the problems of a narrow two-car carriageway, he said, is that the service bus travelling up would have to stop in the traffic line and hold up the flow of traffic as would the delivery vehicles although further talks with the Monmouth Chamber group would hopefully resolve to keep deliveries outside the hours of 10am and 4pm.

Cycle stands and green areas was high on the Welsh Government agenda with ’greening’ ideas from planters to trees being looked at.

"That area is a spaghetti junction of water, electricity and phone cables so any planting would have to be done carefully" added Roger.

The Yorkstone pavements would contrast with the road surface which is as yet undecided. "It’s an issue we are struggling with as blocks are expensive to lay down compared to a resin-bonded material" he said, adding that drainage compliance could be compromised with a non-permeable surface.

The work would be done in two stages and some of the work would be done without closures. "Ultimately the square might be closed for five to six weeks but that doesn’t mean Monnow Street would be closed as we would looking to move traffic through Agincourt Street," he explained.