The amount of car parking spaces available at the Waterloo Car Park in Cirencester is set to decrease next week.

Residents and visitors to Cirencester are being advised that trenching works at the town centre car park will begin next week, meaning a reduction in available spaces at the site.

The works, which will commence on Monday and last for approximately two weeks, are being undertaken as part of the ongoing Cirencester parking project to develop a new multi-decked car park at the Waterloo and provide a long-term solution to parking shortages in the town.

There will be three separate trenches dug as part of the archaeological evaluation required by Historic England, and these areas will be coned off from this evening.

This is to ensure the locations are free of parked cars to enable the contractors to set-up on site.

Cllr Mark Harris, cabinet member for car parks and town and parish councils, at Cotswold District Council, said: "Clearly, before we move forward with this project we need to adhere to our archaeological obligations - Cirencester is historically very important and everyone living here will be aware of that.

“Crucially it's important to us that we deliver a successful car park for the town and that naturally involves a lot of preliminary work. We want to ensure we minimise disturbance to local residents and visitors to the area and we thank them for their patience while this work is carried out."

In July, Cotswold District Council began a public consultation process, gathering views on the external design of the new four-storey car park which is proposed for the site.

Once complete, it would provide 639 spaces.