A CONTROVERSIAL scheme to make Romsey town centre more pedestrianised has been given the green light.

Hampshire County Council environment chief, Keith Estlin, approved the £2.3m project this week.

He released £600,000 to get the first phase of the Romsey town centre enhancement scheme under way after September.

Work on phase one, involving improvements to Latimer Street and The Hundred, could last six months. The second phase, covering Market Place, Bell Street and Church Street - which has caused major concern among traders and residents in Romsey - was also approved but work will not start until the council has found other funding sources.

Mr Estlin said: "The proposals we are agreeing have gone through the necessary routes of talking to the public and by and large the majority are on our side. I am optimistic about this one."

But he added it was important to distribute regular newsletters to keep traders and residents informed because of potential disruption, especially in the run-up to Christmas. Under the proposals traffic will still pass through the main shopping area but roads will be narrowed, pavements widened and new pedestrian areas and crossings built.

Traffic calming measures will slow traffic in some areas to 20mph and there will be a loss of on-street parking bays.

Main features include a new pedestrian space around the Palmerston statue in Market Place, one-way traffic in Latimer Street and wider pavements leading to the new Waitrose store.

Parking, along with loss of character of the town, disruption, congestion resulting from a change to the traffic system and location of delivery bays were the main objections raised during public consultation last year.

Traders and residents wanted to see how the new Waitrose supermarket and extension to department store Smith Bradbeer would affect the town before approving phase two.

County council spokeswoman Sarette Martin said: "If there is a significant impact then there would be the opportunity to look at it again."