After months of anticipation work is soon to continue on ambitious plans to enhance the centre of Huntingdon.

Preparatory work on the Chequers Court development will start next month as Churchmanor Estates paves the way for the construction of new retail units.

In order for the work to start Huntingdonshire District Council will close Trinity Place car park, in Hartford Road, on September 15 to enable builders to set up.

Councillor Jason Ablewhite, executive leader of Huntingdonshire District Council, said: “This is another major step towards positive change in Huntingdon town centre, and we are very much looking forward to seeing the start of building works in Chequers Court.”

Residents and town centre visitors will still be able to park in Sainsbury’s car park and the multi-storey car park.

Planning permission for the development was given by the district council in 2011. Since then, the site of the former Inland Revenue’s Huntingdon offices has been excavated to make way for what will eventually be a series of new shops and a restaurant/café.

New hoarding went up earlier this year carrying artists’ impressions of what the new shopping area could look like.

The multi-million pound project has been designed to attract “new high-quality retailers to the town”.