New paving along Nuns Road is taking shape, with improvement works on track for completion ahead of Easter.

Since January 19, the scheme has focused on repairing the footway alongside Chester's city walls. In recent years, several sections had become uneven or lifted by tree roots, creating potential trip hazards.

Cheshire West and Chester Council's Highways Service has since carefully lifted and re-laid the original paving, reusing as much material as possible to preserve the site's historic character.

The edges of the tree pits have been reset with a double row of granite, while the surrounding surface has been filled with a specialist resin designed to flex as tree roots grow, helping to prevent future damage.

As the paving forms part of the city walls, the area is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Therefore the work required approval from both Historic England and the council's conservation team.

Several sections had become uneven or lifted by tree roots (Image via: Cheshire West and Chester Council)

A number of conditions also had to be met, including a detailed laser scan of this section of the walls to record and safeguard its current condition.

The before-and-after photographs really show what a difference this project has made," said Cllr Karen Shore.

advertisement

"The new paving looks wonderful, but more importantly, it is now safer and more accessible for everyone who uses this well-loved route alongside the City Walls.

"Our teams have taken great care to respect the historic surroundings while delivering a high-quality repair. I'd like to thank residents and visitors for their patience while the work has been carried out."