A COLLECTIVE sigh of relief was heard throughout Cirencester after the builders working on the Market Place regeneration finally departed.

Road blocks and diggers alongside the droning din of pneumatic drills and beeping horns had become commonplace since last February when work on the £1.3m scheme began.

There have been numerous teething problems, including the work going some four months over schedule, but Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Town council chief executive Andrew Tubb has emphasised from the start that this is a long term enhancement for the town.

Mr Tubb has also promised to meet with various disability groups to discuss any further issues following the third of four independent audits on the work, to be undertaken shortly.

The scheme will not be signed off for another year by the county council. It is therefore important that residents continue to raise any concerns, to ensure everyone is happy with the outcome by the end.