Solar lighting on a bridge and coloured tarmac creating a 'town square' - two of the projects being taken forward in Kington

The town has a chance to claim £200,000 of public realm funding for work to the town’s pavements, road surfaces and signage.

Other projects which will also go ahead for full costing will be a continuation of new pavements outside the Burton Hotel to Crabtree, Church Street and at Bridge Street to the bridge and extra car parking spaces opposite the Swan.

Councillors were told last month that Balfour Beatty, Herefordshire Council’s contractors will work with the town council on the project but the money will need to be spent by the end of March 2026, so the timing is tight.

A working group made up of Kington Mayor Councillor Philip Sell, Deputy Mayor Councillor Martin Woolford and Councillors Esther Rolls and Bob Widdowson came up with the ideas and recently met Herefordshire Council officers.

At a meeting on Monday, Deputy Mayor Councillor Woolford said; “After meeting Herefordshire Council officers and Balfour Beatty the ideas under consideration are the continuation of the pavements outside the Burton Hotel to Crabtree Road, Church Street and repairing the pavements on Bridge Street up to the bridge and outside the museum.”

This work started when money was made available after Covid and the town council used it to re-surface the high streets and replace the pavements.

Councillor Woolford added: “We are also continuing with the idea of changing the colour of the tarmac from near Border Bean café to the museum to create a town square.

“We have had some indicative costs back and they came to considerably less than the £200,000. There was a discussion about changing the height of the tarmac around the Market Hall but the officers said raising the tarmac would be more expensive.

“The idea of traffic islands on Church Street and Victoria Road to slow traffic would need traffic orders made and they may take some time to come through and so we may miss the funding deadline.

“The project for lighting on the bridge is continuing and from Church Street just after the square we may be able to provide extra car parking spaces, which would have the effect of slowing the traffic down and it would benefit residents in the area. This would cost about £25,000 rather than an island further down the town which would have cost more.”

Members agreed to continue these projects.

Councillor Woolford said the town council will now go back to Herefordshire Council with the agreed projects and full costings will be made. He said the work will be carried out within Herefordshire Council which should cut down time.